Dongdaemun-gu Prepares Plan for Railway Undergrounding and Upper-Level Complex Development

Basic Plan Establishment Service for Undergrounding and Upper Complex Development of Gyeongwon Line and Jungang Line Ground Railways to be Ordered in April
Proposed as a Leading Project to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the Second Half of This Year

Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) announced plans to initiate a project this year to prepare a conceptual plan for the undergrounding of aboveground railroads and the integrated development of railroad sites, following the enactment of the Special Act on Underground Railroad and Integrated Development (hereinafter referred to as the Underground Railroad Integrated Development Act) in January.

The Underground Railroad Integrated Development Act primarily aims to underground aboveground railroads and develop the land secured on the surface through this process. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to receive proposals from local governments in September to select pilot projects by December this year.

Accordingly, Dongdaemun-gu plans to commission a basic conceptual plan in April for the undergrounding of the aboveground railroads and integrated development of the upper areas along the Gyeongwon Line (approximately 3.3 km) and the Jungang Line (approximately 3.5 km), which cause issues such as regional disconnection, noise and dust generation, and landscape degradation.

Through this project, the district will analyze the current status of the railroads and surrounding areas, establish undergrounding plans, and review concepts for the integrated development of railroad sites and adjacent areas, with the intention to propose these as pilot projects to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in the second half of the year.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “By undergrounding the Gyeongwon Line and Jungang Line and developing the upper areas in an integrated manner, we aim to resolve issues such as urban disconnection, aging infrastructure, and aesthetic degradation, and create spaces for residents. We will actively prepare to secure selection for the Ministry of Land’s project.”