Expansion of the Logistics Corridor Linking the Industrial Complex and the New Airport
Full-Scale Development of an Industrial Belt Connected to the National Industrial Complex
The transportation map of Gumi City in Gyeongbuk is set for a major overhaul. As of July 11, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the official upgrade of Local Roads 514 (Gumi, Bugok, Chilgok, Dongmyeong) and 927 (Gumi, Haepyeong, Gunwi, Ubo) to National Road 85.
Major Overhaul of Gumi City Transportation Network in Gyeongbuk: Local Roads 514 and 927 Upgraded to National Road 85 (Route Map)
This route change, with a total length of 93.5 kilometers, is expected to serve as a national logistics corridor directly connecting the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport and the Gumi National Industrial Complex.
The Gumi section spans 19.5 kilometers from Bugok-dong to Domun-ri in Haepyeong-myeon, and the total project cost for this route is estimated at approximately 360 billion won.
The city of Gumi has consistently requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to upgrade the route to a national road as a preemptive measure to expand the section from two lanes to four lanes.
This decision is the result of strong political persuasion and administrative determination by Gumi Mayor Kim Jangho and Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheolwoo.
Both local government leaders made multiple visits to the Presidential Office, the National Assembly, and the Government Complex Sejong to directly explain the necessity of the road upgrade. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport commissioned a related study from the Korea Transport Institute in March 2023 and reflected its findings in the latest review and announcement.
The road upgrade is expected to serve as a key catalyst for transforming Gumi's landscape in the areas of industry, logistics, and transportation. First, accessibility to the integrated new airport will be dramatically improved, which is projected to significantly reduce both logistics transport time and costs.
This will directly enhance access to Gumi's major industrial belts, including the National Industrial Complex, the Defense Industry Innovation Cluster, the Semiconductor Specialized Complex, and the Opportunity Development Zone.
In addition, the newly designated national road is designed to bypass downtown Gumi and connect directly to the integrated new airport, which is expected to help alleviate traffic congestion in the existing urban area. Looking ahead, National Road 85 is expected to grow into a major transportation axis in the midwestern region of Gyeongbuk, playing a key role in balanced regional development.
Recently, Gumi City has continued to attract large-scale national projects, further strengthening its identity as an industrial city. The upgrade of the national road is also expected to have a positive impact on the regeneration projects for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd National Industrial Complexes, as well as on the activation of sales for the 5th National Industrial Complex.
Kim Jangho, Mayor of Gumi, stated, "The designation of National Road 85 is a symbolic signal that Gumi has fully entered the era of the integrated new airport," adding, "We will quickly complete transportation infrastructure that both citizens and businesses can truly experience, and thoroughly prepare all follow-up administrative procedures for the opening of the national road."
This road upgrade marks a new turning point for strengthening Gumi's industrial competitiveness and boosting the local economy, and is expected to serve as a practical foundation for forming a wide-area economic zone in connection with the integrated new airport. Gumi is now moving from transportation to industry, and further to the center of national strategy.
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