Yongsan District Mayor Park Hee-young: "We Must Accelerate the Undergrounding of Gyeongbu and Gyeongwon Railway Lines"

"A Core Project to Enhance Future Competitiveness"
Proposal Delivered to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Seoul Metropolitan Government

Park Hee-young, head of the Gyeongbu Line Underground Promotion Council and mayor of Yongsan District, expressed regret on the 5th over the recent government announcement excluding the Gyeongbu Line and Gyeongwon Line from the ‘Priority Railway Underground Project Areas,’ urging prompt consultations between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Hee-young Park, Mayor of Yongsan District. Provided by Yongsan District Office.

Mayor Park stated, “The undergrounding of the Gyeongbu Line and Gyeongwon Line is not merely an improvement of transportation infrastructure but a core project that enhances Seoul’s future competitiveness by resolving urban division, restructuring the city center, and creating an eco-friendly urban environment,” adding, “I hope the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will swiftly consult and accelerate the project for the citizens of Seoul who have been waiting for the railway undergrounding.”

On the 28th of last month, Yongsan District designated the Gyeongbu Line and Gyeongwon Line as leading projects for railway undergrounding and submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Seoul Metropolitan Government requesting their inclusion in the comprehensive railway undergrounding plan.

Previously, in October last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government proposed the Gyeongbu Line (including connecting lines, 34.7 km) and the Gyeongwon Line (including connecting lines, 32.9 km) as leading project sites to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Subsequently, the Gyeongwon Line section (Yongsan Station to Dobongsan Station) formed the ‘Gyeongwon Line Underground Promotion Council,’ consisting of seven autonomous districts including Yongsan, Seongdong, Dongdaemun, Jungnang, Seongbuk, Dobong, and Nowon, jointly requesting designation as a leading railway underground project.

The Gyeongbu Line section (Seoul Station to Dangjeong Station) has also continued efforts for railway undergrounding through the ‘Gyeongbu Line Underground Promotion Council,’ composed of seven local governments (Yongsan, Dongjak, Yeongdeungpo, Guro, Geumcheon Districts, Gunpo City, and Anyang City), submitting a joint proposal to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and each local government have also shown strong determination to promote railway undergrounding.

However, on the 19th of last month, the government selected only three areas?Busan, Daejeon, and Ansan?as priority railway underground project sites during the ‘Livelihood Economy Inspection Meeting,’ announcing that for the metropolitan area’s Gyeongbu Line, Gyeongin Line, and Gyeongwon Line, “specific implementation plans will be promptly prepared after additional consultations with the relevant local governments.”