[ConstructionIN] "Incheon·Suwon KTX·Sinansan Line, No Issues for Opening Next Year"

Choi Young-hwan, Head of the Korea Rail Network Authority's Seoul Metropolitan Headquarters
Bucheon Daejang?Hongdae Metropolitan Railroad to Break Ground in Second Half of This Year
Ensuring Safety as Much as Speedy Opening
Analysis of Major Accidents Over the Past Five Years

"The Sinansan Line metropolitan railroad connecting the southwestern Seoul metropolitan area and downtown Seoul, and the high-speed rail (KTX) originating from Incheon and Suwon are being steadily advanced with the goal of opening in December next year. The metropolitan railroad connecting Bucheon Daejang and Hongdae is also planned to begin construction in the second half of this year."

Choi Young-hwan, head of the Korea Rail Network Authority's Seoul Metropolitan Headquarters (photo), said this on the 10th. Choi took office as the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Headquarters in July last year. He is a railroad expert who was in charge of mid- to long-term plans in railroad construction fields such as the second phase of the Gyeongbu High-Speed Railway, the Gyeongjeon Line, and Wonju~Gangneung, as well as railroad safety and facilities.

The Seoul Metropolitan Headquarters is one of the six regional headquarters within the Authority, responsible for railroad construction and facility maintenance in the Seoul metropolitan area. In the construction sector, it is promoting 16 projects including the Sinansan Line, which began construction in 2019. Additionally, it manages maintenance of 42 lines totaling 464 km in length and 75 improvement projects. This headquarters is also responsible for managing national assets worth over 30 trillion KRW, including railroad sites and buildings within the metropolitan area.

Choi Young-hwan, Head of the Metropolitan Headquarters of the Korea National Railway. Provided by Korea National Railway

Choi explained, "The conventional railroad line connecting Indeogwon and Dongtan has been progressing on schedule, with the first groundbreaking in 2021 and all sections entering subgrade work in 2023." He anticipated that this line would be able to respond to transportation demand arising from large-scale housing developments such as Gwanggyo, Yeongtong, and the second phase of Dongtan New Town. The total project cost for this line is 4.191 trillion KRW for 39 km.

Following the existing Shinbundang Line, the double-track electrified railroad project connecting Gwanggyo and Homaesil also began full-section construction last year. Currently, subgrade work is underway while detailed design for subsequent phases is in progress. The metropolitan railroad project connecting Bucheon Daejang and Hongdae is also expected to start construction in the second half of this year. Although the detailed blueprint has not yet been finalized, the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan (2021?2030), the highest-level statutory plan in the railroad sector, includes eight new railroad projects in the Seoul metropolitan area. The high-speed rail connecting Gwangmyeong Station, Seoul Station, and Susaek Station is being planned as a deep underground line below 40 meters. This section currently experiences frequent bottlenecks due to shared use with conventional railroad tracks, and this new plan is expected to resolve such issues.

Choi prioritizes safety as the foremost task and is making thorough efforts. He has integrated various safety equipment and advanced technologies into frontline sites, such as real-time hazardous gas monitoring systems, tunnel-dedicated web cameras, automatic detection sensors and circuit breakers to prevent collisions of construction equipment. He analyzed trends in major accidents over the past five years, including accident types, work categories, and causes, and has conducted joint inspections with external experts to enhance the quality of safety checks.

Lee Seong-hae, President of the Korea Rail Network Authority, is visiting the construction site of the Sinansan Line station in February, inspecting the surroundings. Photo by Korea Rail Network Authority

For workers at small-scale construction sites vulnerable to safety management weaknesses, he raised awareness through experiential safety education using virtual reality (VR). He actively searched for best practices at each site, awarded them, and shared these with other workplaces. He explained, "In the past, the focus was on opening projects faster, but now we prioritize safety above all. I believe the majority of the public will empathize with this working method."

Projects utilizing railroad-related assets are also underway. A regional children's center will open in 2028 at the plaza of Jipyeong Station on the Jungang Line. A university student dormitory complex being built on idle land near Yongsan Station will open next year. Together with local governments including Dongducheon and Seoul's Mapo District, 14 nature-friendly rest areas such as walking trails, bicycle paths, and community rest spots are being established. At Guri Station, a transfer center will be constructed by installing bus and taxi stops under the bridge. If construction begins this month, it is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Choi said, "Including the facilities sector, the budget to be executed this year is about 1.2 trillion KRW. Given the poor economic conditions and emerging external variables, we plan to execute more than 60% of the budget in the first half of the year."