Kim Mikyung, Eunpyeong District Mayor, Expresses Regret Over Failure of Preliminary Feasibility Study for Sinbundang Line Northwest Extension

Eunpyeong-gu to Seek New Alternatives with Seoul City to Improve Transportation Convenience in the Northwestern Area

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced on the 23rd that Seoul City's Shinbundang Line northwestern extension project has failed to pass the preliminary feasibility study.

The Shinbundang Line northwestern extension was included in the 3rd National Railroad Network Construction Plan in 2016 to respond to the rapidly increasing transportation demand due to new town developments in northwestern Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, as well as large-scale housing developments. Since 2018, during the mid-term review meetings of the preliminary feasibility study conducted by the Korea Development Institute (KDI), it was judged to lack economic viability. Seoul City submitted a route re-planning proposal at the end of 2021 and proceeded with the preliminary feasibility study.

Meanwhile, Eunpyeong-gu has consistently voiced the residents' wishes through measures such as ▲ reflecting new transportation demands from the National Korean Literature Museum, Art Village, Seoul Innovation Park, and Changneung New Town ▲ delivering a petition signed by 300,000 residents to relevant agencies (Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Seoul City) ▲ holding a residents' resolution rally urging early construction ▲ meeting with ministers of related agencies.

In particular, the National Korean Literature Museum, a national project, is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors annually. Large facilities such as the nearby Art Village, International Ice Rink, and Securities Museum are planned, leading to evaluations that the Shinbundang Line northwestern extension project is necessary.

This route is a representative pledge of the President and the Mayor of Seoul for northwestern Seoul. Residents, who have long awaited the resolution of this regional long-standing issue to promote balanced development between Gangnam and Gangbuk through transportation infrastructure expansion, especially the residents of Eunpyeong New Town who have endured transportation inconveniences for a long time, cannot hide their great disappointment and frustration.

On the 23rd, Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, stated, “Residents of Eunpyeong-gu have endured chronic congestion on Tongil-ro and waited for over 10 years in hopeful anticipation. Despite major projects such as the National Korean Literature Museum scheduled for completion in 2026 and the development of Seoul Innovation Park site, we deeply regret the preliminary feasibility study results that were trapped by economic viability logic.” She added, “We will closely cooperate with Seoul City to prepare new alternatives to improve transportation convenience for residents in the northwestern area.”