"Citizens' Aspirations Realized"... Inauguration Ceremony Held Calling for Inclusion of Changwon KTX High-Speed Rail in National Plan

Heo Seongmu Stresses Changwon's Strategic Value
and the Power of Citizens' Aspirations in the Evaluation

With the finalization of the 5th National Rail Network Construction Plan (2026-2035) approaching, civil society in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, has recently begun taking concrete action to call for the inclusion of high-speed rail in the region.

On October 18, an inauguration ceremony was held at Changwon Jungang Station Plaza for the "Citizen Promotion Committee for the Reflection of Changwon KTX High-Speed Rail." The event drew significant attention, with National Assemblyman Heo Seongmu, city and provincial council members, civic organizations, youth, labor, and economic groups, as well as many citizens in attendance.

Inauguration Ceremony of the Citizen Promotion Committee for the Inclusion of Changwon KTX High-Speed Rail.

Despite being a special city with a population of 1 million and the largest manufacturing city in the country, Changwon currently sees only 13 to 16 Seoul-Changwon KTX services per day. The journey from Seoul to Changwon takes about three hours, and from Dongdaegu to Changwon nearly one hour, causing inconvenience for citizens due to seat shortages and long travel times.

If the proposed "Dongdaegu-Changwon-Gadeokdo" high-speed rail line is included in the national plan, travel time to Seoul will be reduced to 2 hours and 20 minutes, and to Daegu to within 30 minutes. The number of daily services will be expanded to a maximum of 31 to 34, which is expected to dramatically improve mobility for citizens and significantly enhance the region's industrial competitiveness.

Notably, this project is being evaluated not only by simple economic feasibility (B/C) indicators, but also through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which considers both regional balanced development and policy factors. As a result, despite relatively lower economic feasibility compared to the Seoul metropolitan area, factors such as the region's industrial base, the need to address transportation disparities, and public opinion are expected to play a significant role in the evaluation.

National Assemblyman Heo Seongmu emphasized, "Changwon is the heart of Korea's manufacturing, where both industry and people are on the move," adding, "Inclusion of high-speed rail is not just a transportation issue, but a matter of the region's survival and a key to balanced national development."

He further stated, "Each citizen's signature is the power to restore Changwon's rights and will strongly resonate in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's comprehensive evaluation."

The Citizen Promotion Committee plans to launch both online and offline signature campaigns, street campaigns, and social media promotions following the inauguration ceremony. In November, these efforts will culminate in a National Assembly forum and the official submission of a proposal to the government as part of ongoing civic action.