Mayor Kim Dong-geun "Happy to Return the Abandoned Railway Left Untouched for 20 Years as Park Green Space"
Uijeongbu City renovated the Gageum Railway Bridge, which was used for U.S. military supply logistics after the Korean War, into a cultural park and opened it to the public on the 18th. Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Dong-geun) opened the Gageum Railway Bridge Cultural Park, which was used for U.S. military supply logistics after the Korean War, as a cultural park on the 18th.
The Gageum Railway Bridge Cultural Park, with a total area of 2,903㎡, has been developed as an urban green space with historical and cultural value, featuring a cherry blossom walking path, exercise facilities, rest areas, and a memorial space.
The area around 15-28 Ganeung-dong, where the park was established, is an important location connecting a densely populated residential area including apartments and Jungnangcheon Stream. Many pedestrians used the Gageum Railway Bridge footbridge to travel between Uijeongbu-dong and Geumo-dong.
However, due to the steep slope of the abandoned railway site, there was a risk of safety accidents. In particular, after the removal of the U.S. 39th Supply Line, the site was left vacant for a long time, leading to illegal farming and garbage dumping, which harmed the urban landscape.
In response, the city actively consulted with the Ministry of National Defense from 2019 to establish a park development plan to expand green and leisure spaces in the deteriorated urban area and to prevent urban disconnection caused by the Ministry’s plan to sell the abandoned railway site. Land compensation was completed over three years from 2021 to last year, and park construction began this year.
Mayor Kim Dong-geun said, “We were able to improve the urban disconnection caused by the abandoned railway site through the creation of this cultural park. I am pleased to return this space, which had been left as an abandoned railway for 20 years and longed by citizens to be developed into a park, as a lush green urban space.” He added, “I hope many citizens can freely heal and relax in this beautiful and pleasant park.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. 39th Supply Line was a transport route installed after the Korean War for supplying U.S. military bases. Around 2008, as the U.S. military base relocation was promoted, it lost its purpose as a transport route and was sequentially dismantled by the Ministry of National Defense around 2011.
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