Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, Says "Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad's Lower Priority Assignment: Province's Explanation Is an Evasion of Responsibility"

Direct Challenge to Governor Kim Dong-yeon: "Let's Have a One-on-One Debate"
Point-by-Point Rebuttal to Gyeonggi-do's Previous Day Statement

The conflict between Gyeonggi Province and Yongin City over the prioritization of metropolitan railway projects for inclusion in the 5th National Railroad Network Construction Plan appears to be intensifying. Yongin Mayor Lee Sang-il has been increasing the intensity of his criticism daily, even proposing a one-on-one debate with Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon.

On the 28th, through a press release, Mayor Lee directly refuted Gyeonggi Province's position announced the previous day regarding the lower prioritization of the 'Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway' project as "an evasion of responsibility," and demanded Governor Kim to "have a one-on-one debate." Governor Kim had initially planned to hold an emergency press conference that day but canceled it due to heavy snowfall and instead issued a statement in the form of a press release.

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, continues to strongly criticize Gyeonggi Province for assigning the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad, a project jointly promoted by four local governments, as a lower-priority project. Photo by Yongin City

Mayor Lee systematically rebutted the position of Gyeonggi Province on the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway project announced by Oh Hu-seok, Gyeonggi Province's Deputy Governor for Administration, the previous day. The Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway project is a new metropolitan railway line jointly promoted by Yongin, Seongnam, Suwon, and Hwaseong cities as an alternative to the extension of Seoul Subway Line 3. The plan of the four local governments is to connect Seoul Sports Complex Station~Suseo Station~Seongnam Pangyo~Yongin Sinbong and Seongbok-dong~Suwon Gwanggyo~Hwaseong Bongdam.

However, Gyeonggi Province recently assigned the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway project a lower priority and proposed to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to include three 'GTX Plus' projects (establishment of GTX G and H lines, extension of C line), which are Governor Kim's campaign promises, as priority projects in the 5th National Railroad Network Construction Plan. Mayor Lee is strongly opposing this.

Regarding Gyeonggi Province's position the previous day that "this decision considers regional balanced development," Mayor Lee criticized it as "an illogical excuse." He said, "Governor Kim promised the extension of Subway Line 3 during the June 2022 local elections, and in February last year, in an agreement with the mayors of the four cities, he proposed either the extension of Subway Line 3 or the establishment of the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway," adding, "The 'regional balanced development' claimed by the province is a childish logic that only highlights Governor Kim's irresponsibility and broken promises."

Through the press release that day, Mayor Lee directly targeted Governor Kim several times. He said, "Governor Kim's attitude of stepping back and letting the deputy governor make excuses is even more pathetic," and continued his sharp criticism, "If Governor Kim remembers last year's agreement, he should accept my proposal to debate in front of the citizens of the four cities including Yongin and the people of Gyeonggi Province."

He also rebutted Deputy Governor Oh's remark that "the claims by some local government heads to exclude the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway project are not true." Deputy Governor Oh had stated at the press conference, "While Gyeonggi Province inevitably proposed the three GTX Plus lines to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, it also requested that all Gyeonggi Province projects be actively reviewed and reflected."

Mayor Lee drew a clear line, saying, "This is also a statement that misleads the residents." He pointed out, "Gyeonggi Province, which knows well that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will select only three among the metropolitan railway projects, is being dishonest by proposing Governor Kim's three GTX Plus projects as the highest priority while packaging it as if it is taking care of various projects of local governments."

Mayor Lee also pressured Gyeonggi Province to disclose the feasibility study results of the GTX Plus projects, which the province has refused to release. He emphasized, "It is very important to compare and evaluate the economic feasibility and effectiveness of the GTX Plus projects and the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway project."

Mayor Lee warned, "Governor Kim and Gyeonggi Province must bear all the repercussions that will occur if the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway project is not included in the national railroad network plan due to this decision by Gyeonggi Province." Regarding Deputy Governor Oh's remark that "railroad policy should not become politicized," Mayor Lee criticized, "The decision by Gyeonggi Province to exclude the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway project, which has a benefit-cost (B/C) ratio of 1.2, from the priority list while ignoring the project's economic feasibility and validity is precisely politicizing railroad policy."

Regarding his proposal for a debate, Mayor Lee stated, "Since the deputy governor's press conference did not provide an answer, it is now Governor Kim's duty to step forward and explain." He criticized Governor Kim, saying, "At the governor-mayors and county heads meeting on the 11th, Governor Kim promised to meet with the mayors of the four cities but has yet to set a date," adding, "This kind of irresponsibility and lack of communication is unprecedented."