Jeong Myeong-geun, Hwaseong Mayor: "'Dongtan Tram' Groundbreaking Next Year"

"Building an Eco-Friendly Advanced Metropolitan Transportation Network"
Detailed Design to be Completed by the End of Next Year, Partial Construction to Begin

Construction of the 'Dongtan Tram,' which will connect the Dongtan 1 and 2 New Towns in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, with nearby subway stations such as Byeongjeom, Mangpo, and Osan Station, is set to begin in earnest as early as next year.

On the 18th, Hwaseong Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun held a city administration briefing in the city hall's main conference room and stated, "The basic design of the Dongtan Tram is in its final stages," adding, "From January next year, we plan to proceed with the bidding announcement and detailed design to push the project forward on schedule."

Jung Myung-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong City, is holding a regular briefing in the city hall's main conference room on the 18th.
[Photo by Hwaseong City]

The Dongtan Tram will be constructed over two sections totaling 34.4 km: ▲ Byeongjeom Station ~ Dongtan Station ~ Vehicle Depot (17.8 km) and ▲ Mangpo Station ~ Dongtan Station ~ Osan Station (16.6 km). Within these sections, there will be 36 stations and one vehicle depot. The goal is to open by December 2027, which, if on schedule, will make it the first tram system in the Gyeonggi Province area.

The project will require a total budget of 977.3 billion KRW. The Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) will cover 920 billion KRW, while local governments will contribute 57.3 billion KRW. Hwaseong City will bear 46.1 billion KRW, Osan City 9.5 billion KRW, and Suwon City 1.7 billion KRW respectively.

The city plans to announce the bidding for the detailed design in January next year, select qualified bidders by June, and complete the detailed design and project plan approval application by the end of next year. In particular, the city intends to start construction of the priority sections simultaneously with the commencement of the detailed design to complete the project on time.

The tram vehicles have been decided as 32 sets of catenary-free trams using the 'Super Capacity + Battery' system. Mayor Jeong explained, "The tram is environmentally friendly, safe, and has punctuality with almost no operational delays," adding, "We aim for it to establish itself as a new concept of transportation beyond just a simple commuting means."

The city will also actively review an appropriate fare system, including fare discounts. Mayor Jeong added, "We plan to devise various compensation measures, such as station area development, to cover any losses that may occur during tram operation."

Meanwhile, at the briefing, Mayor Jeong also announced plans to expand support for youth employment, entrepreneurship, and housing stability.

First, to support youth employment, the city plans to establish a 'Youth Employment Support Center' within the year to match outstanding local companies with young talent. The center will provide not only job connections but also educational programs to enhance employment capabilities.

To expand youth entrepreneurship, the city will promote the '10,000 KRW Youth Hope Store.' Linked with the 'LH Hope Store Project,' this initiative supports young entrepreneurs by subsidizing rent so they can move into commercial spaces for just 10,000 KRW per month.

Additionally, to stabilize youth housing, the city plans to support interest on rental deposit loans up to 2% (maximum 2 million KRW) and provide monthly rent support up to 150,000 KRW (for up to six months).