Concerns Over Shrinking Red Road Business District and Pedestrian Safety
Official Request Sent to Ministry of Land, Seoul City, and Others for Station Relocation
On July 7, Mapo District in Seoul expressed a strong opposition to the planned station location at the "Emergency Countermeasures Meeting Opposing the Red Road Station on the Daechang Hongdae Line," held at the Red Road Seogyo Arts Experimental Center, citing concerns about the negative impact on the local area.
The Daechang Hongdae Line is a metropolitan railway route with a total length of 21 kilometers, connecting Bucheon Daejang New Town and Hongdae Entrance Station in Mapo District. The station is currently planned to be located between Red Road R1 and R2.
At the Emergency Countermeasures Meeting Opposing the Red Road Station on the Daechang Hongdae Line, Park Gangsu, Mayor of Mapo District, emphasized the need to reconsider the station location. Provided by Mapo District.
Mapo District, together with the local merchants' association, is calling for a reconsideration of the station location, arguing that long-term construction in this section could severely shrink the local business district due to reduced accessibility and environmental changes over approximately six years.
The meeting, organized by the merchants' association, was attended by Park Gangsu, Mayor of Mapo District, as well as representatives from the Hongdae Pedestrian Street Merchants' Association, Mapo District Small Business Association, Small Business Prosperity Association, and Red Road Merchants' Association, who shared concerns about the planned station location.
They emphasized that the currently planned station site is Red Road, a well-known international tourist destination that already attracts large crowds of tourists and has a stable commercial district.
Previously, recognizing the potential damage from the Daechang Hongdae Line construction, Mapo District sent an official letter on July 4 to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Seobu Metropolitan Metro Corporation, requesting a change to the currently planned station location.
The letter stated that the planned station site is an extremely crowded area with high pedestrian traffic, and that narrowing of sidewalks due to construction could threaten pedestrian safety.
In addition, the letter specified concrete reasons such as the area being a venue for regular busking and cultural events, as well as business losses for merchants due to long-term construction, and requested that the station be relocated from the Red Road section toward the Hongdae Entrance Station intersection.
Mapo District plans to continue consulting with relevant agencies to adjust the station location based on the voices of residents and merchants, and will pursue all administrative measures to minimize local damage.
Park Gangsu, Mayor of Mapo District, stated, "Since the Daechang Hongdae Line project is directly connected to the Red Road commercial district, sufficient communication and practical design must be ensured," adding, "Mapo District will stand with residents and small business owners to the end to ensure their lives are not infringed upon."
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