Hwaseong-si Proposes Establishment of 'Solbitnaru Station' in Line 1 Extension Section to Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

"New Station Established Between Seodongtan Station and Dongtan Station"
Cost Burdened by Responsible Party... Target Opening in 2009

Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province is promoting the construction of a new station within the extension section of Subway Line 1 from Seodongtan Station to Dongtan Station.

Hwaseong City announced on the 1st that it requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 31st of last month to establish a new station called 'Solbitnaru Station (tentative name)' in the extension section from Seodongtan Station to Dongtan Station on Line 1.

The Line 1 extension project connects the existing Line 1 branch Seodongtan Station and the newly constructed Indeogwon~Dongtan Line Dongtan Station. The city plans to build a new station at the midpoint of this section to improve subway accessibility for residents of Dongtan 1 District.

To this end, the city has been conducting a preliminary feasibility study for the establishment of Solbitnaru Station since last year, and based on the results, it submitted the project proposal to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport this time.

In particular, to expedite the project, the city proposed a 'polluter pays' method to the Ministry. This means the city will bear the project costs required for the new station construction, which can reduce the financial burden on central government agencies and shorten administrative procedures and required time.

If the new station is established, residents of Dongtan 1 District will be able to use the subway to travel to Dongtan Station across the Gyeongbu Expressway and transfer to the Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX) Line A, significantly reducing commuting time to the Gangnam area of Seoul.

Following the city's proposal, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to verify the results of the preliminary feasibility study conducted by Hwaseong City. If the project feasibility is recognized based on the verification, administrative procedures to finalize the project are expected to proceed.

Jung Myung-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong City, said, "Since the citizens' desire for the establishment of Solbitnaru Station is great, we will actively consult with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Rail Network Authority," adding, "We will do our best to ensure that the new station opens simultaneously with the Dongtan~Indeogwon Line in 2029."