Urging the Relocation of Ventilation Shafts in Front of Sangbong Ujeong Apartment
Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu (left), Park Hong-geun, Member of the National Assembly (right), and Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (center), met on the 30th to discuss local pending projects. (Photo by Jungnang-gu Office)
On the 30th, Seoul Jungnang-gu announced that District Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi met with Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, to discuss local issues related to land and transportation, including the relocation of the ventilation shaft at Sangbong Station on the Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX)-B line.
Mayor Ryu, along with Park Hong-geun, a member of the National Assembly representing the district, met Minister Park at the Seoul Western Branch of the Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation to discuss a total of nine local issues, including ▲ complaints related to the ventilation shaft at Sangbong Station on the GTX-B line ▲ selection of Jungnang-gu section as a pilot project for railway undergrounding.
Jungnang-gu stated that they urged the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Rail Network Authority to actively resolve complaints at the national level regarding the serious concerns and potential resident damages caused by the design of Ventilation Shaft No. 2 at Sangbong Station on the GTX-B line, which was planned to be located just 2 to 3 meters from the boundary of Ujeong Apartment in Sangbong-dong, differing from the original plan.
Residents of Ujeong Apartment became aware of the design change relocating Ventilation Shaft No. 2 in front of the apartment and the severity of its location just before the residents’ public hearing on the environmental impact assessment (draft) held on November 7 last year. Since then, they have raised complaints through the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, filed public interest audit requests, visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Korea Rail Network Authority, and Ministry of Environment to protest, and held resident rallies and demonstrations.
The residents strongly demand that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Rail Network Authority actively review alternative sites and relocate the ventilation shaft, appealing against the design change without resident consultation and the serious damage concerns caused by the ventilation shaft’s location.
At the meeting, Mayor Ryu also requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to relocate the ventilation shaft reflecting the residents’ opinions. He further requested that the Ministry select the Gyeongchun Line and Gyeongui-Jungang Line passing through Jungnang-gu as pilot projects for the railway undergrounding project.
Additionally, they proposed local issues including ▲ confirmation of GTX-E line stop at Sinnnae Station and exemption from preliminary feasibility study ▲ promotion of express stop at Sinnnae Station on the Gyeongchun Line (ITX-Cheongchun) ▲ inclusion of Line 6 extension (relocation of Sinnnae train depot) in the metropolitan area wide-area transportation implementation plan ▲ additional stop of high-speed trains on the Jungang Line at Sangbong Station ▲ and rapid promotion of urban public housing complex projects.
Jungnang-gu explained that Minister Park, after listening to the proposals, fully understood the positions of Jungnang-gu and its residents and responded that he would actively review the matters.
Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi said, “I ask for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s active support so that Jungnang’s pending projects can gain momentum,” adding, “Jungnang-gu will also actively cooperate with administrative support for national projects such as the construction of the GTX-B line.”
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