Mokpo-Boseong Railway Line to Open on the 27th... A New Era of Rail for Southern South Jeolla Begins

82.5km Single-Track Electric Railway from Imseongni to Sinboseong
Completed After 23 Years... Mokpo to Boseong in About 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Improved Accessibility and Mobility Rights for Underserved Regions

Temporary operation of Mokpo-Boseong line remodeled Mugunghwa train view. Provided by Jeonnam Province

The Mokpo-Boseong railway line, connecting Mokpo and Boseong in South Jeolla Province, will hold its opening ceremony on September 26 and officially begin operations on September 27.

According to South Jeolla Province on September 23, the Mokpo-Boseong line is a single-track electric railway stretching a total of 82.5 kilometers from Imseongni Station to Sinboseong Station, passing through Yeongam Station, Haenam Station, Gangjin Station, Jeonnam Jangheung Station, and Jangdong Station. With an investment of 1.6459 trillion won, construction began in 2002 and was completed after 23 years.

While existing railways in the region have been oriented along a north-south axis, the Mokpo-Boseong line is structurally distinct in that it traverses the southern region of South Jeolla Province. As a core piece of social overhead capital ushering in a new era for the southern coast, it is expected to mark a turning point for the province’s economy and tourism industry.

With the opening of this line, travel time between Mokpo and Boseong will be reduced from the previous 2 hours and 16 minutes to approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Since it provides a direct connection without passing through Gwangju, accessibility between regions is expected to improve significantly.

In particular, residents of the southwestern part of South Jeolla Province-including Yeongam, Haenam, Gangjin, and Jangheung-who have been underserved by rail service, as well as those in island and inland areas such as Wando and Jindo, will now be able to travel to Seoul and Busan by train. Furthermore, once the electrification of the Gyeongjeon Line section between Boseong and Suncheon is completed, it will be possible to travel from Mokpo to Busan by KTX in about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

In the initial phase, Saemaeul and Mugunghwa diesel trains will be operated, with eight round trips on weekdays (Monday to Thursday) and ten round trips on weekends (Friday to Sunday).

The passenger fare from Mokpo Station to Sinboseong Station is set at 8,300 won for the Saemaeul train and 5,600 won for the Mugunghwa train.

The Mokpo-Boseong line was originally planned as a single-track, non-electrified railway, but in 2019, the plan was changed to allow electric trains instead of diesel. As a result, the 2019 plan was converted to electrification, with an additional 143.4 billion won allocated to the project, making the current Mokpo-Boseong line possible.

However, since the section of the Gyeongjeon Line connecting Boseong and Suncheon remains non-electrified, Saemaeul and Mugunghwa diesel trains will operate during the initial phase, and some stations will be unmanned.

To address this, South Jeolla Province, in cooperation with Korail, plans to assign staff to each station during the initial stabilization period to enhance convenience for local residents, and to permanently staff stations with more than 200 daily users.

South Jeolla Province also plans to introduce electric trains once the occupancy rate exceeds 50 percent, and will actively recommend to the central government that stations far from urban areas, such as Yeongam and Haenam, be prioritized for permanent staffing. In consideration of the increasing number of tourists, the province is also exploring the addition of at least two extra tourist trains on weekends.

Kim Yungrok, Governor of South Jeolla Province, emphasized, "With the opening of the Mokpo-Boseong line, the mobility rights of residents in the southern region and the convenience of tourists will be greatly improved, paving the way for explosive growth in South Jeolla’s tourism industry. As a key infrastructure ushering in a new era for the province, we will ensure it serves as a growth engine for all of South Jeolla."