A Healing Space for Locals... Yeongcheon City Creates 'Urban Forest' on Abandoned Railway Site in Seobu-dong

Free Use of Idle Railway Land for 20 Years Saves About 1.5 Billion Won in Budget

Yeongcheon City in North Gyeongsang Province completed the "Seobudong Abandoned Railway Site Urban Forest Project" in April this year, after being selected for the Railway Idle Land Utilization Project Proposal Contest hosted by the National Railway Authority.

This project invested 600 million KRW in the Seongnae-dong area, utilizing idle land from the double-track electrification project of the Daegu Line (Dongdaegu?Yeongcheon), to create the "Seongnae Railway Forest," which is 180 meters long and covers an area of 3,244 square meters.

Residents of Yeongcheon City are walking through the Seobudong Seongnae Railway Forest.

Through this project, the city will be able to use the railway idle land free of charge for 20 years, saving approximately 1.5 billion KRW in budget.

In addition, it is expected to improve the quality of life for Seobudong residents by addressing inconveniences such as noise pollution, disrupted pedestrian access, and hindrances to local development caused by long-term railway operations. The project also aims to contribute to the urban development of underdeveloped areas by linking the area with the nearby Geumho River, Beodeul (Yujeong) Forest, and Yeongcheon Modern History Trail, which offer excellent natural and cultural infrastructure.

The city plans to further accelerate efforts to create a livable Yeongcheon and a well-being rural city by establishing specialized forests that consider the characteristics of aging populations and improve the environment of aging residential areas.