[경기도국감] Heo Young "Close KDI for Yangpyeong Expressway Feasibility Study... Are They Worse Than the Design Company?"

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Heo Young is questioning about the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway during the national audit on Gyeonggi Province on the 23rd.

Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Young (Gangwon Chuncheon·Cheorwon·Hwacheon·Yanggu-eup) criticized the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for ignoring the preliminary feasibility study results by the Korea Development Institute (KDI) regarding the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway and pushing for a revised plan based on the design firm's feasibility study, stating that "the 50-year-old KDI should be shut down."

On the 23rd, during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit of Gyeonggi Province held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office, Rep. Heo pointed out, "The Yangpyeong Expressway should be promoted according to KDI's preliminary feasibility study, which aligns with the original project objectives, resolves residents' long-standing demands, and can be constructed the fastest."

He criticized, "KDI is a national policy institute established in 1971 with a 50-year history. If such things happen now, shouldn't KDI be shut down?"

He continued, "Currently, Kyungdong Engineering and Donghae Comprehensive Design have overturned KDI's feasibility study results," adding, "There is even a joke circulating in the market that KDI stands for Kyungdong Donghae Institute, based on the initials of Kyungdong and Donghae."

In response, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon emphasized, "KDI is the most fair and credible institution from a neutral third-party perspective."

He particularly stated, "The announcement based on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's design firm raises serious doubts about its reliability," and added, "It is completely incomprehensible that the design firm, which initially submitted the revised plan commencement report, became the entity finalizing the revised plan."

He also noted, "Considering that various aspects such as traffic volume were analyzed in a short period, it is hard to trust the results," adding, "More flaws are expected to be revealed upon reviewing the raw data."

Furthermore, he urged the prompt implementation of the original plan, stating, "The Seorak IC to Gangil Hwaduk IC section experiences the most congestion, but if the original plan is followed, connecting Seorak IC will reduce traffic volume by about half."