Gwangju Metro Line 2 Construction Delays... Merchants Appeal Over 'Livelihood Crisis'

Assemblyman Shim Cheolui Speaks at Gwangju City Council on the Morning of the 3rd
"If There Is No Law, One Should Be Created; If There Is No System, It Should Be Designed"
"Administration Must Not Ignore Livelihoods Behind the Pretext of Construction"

"The businesses along the construction section are practically suffocating. For small business owners, the most important thing is whether they can open their store tomorrow."

On the 3rd, at the plenary session of the Gwangju City Council, Assemblyman Shim Cheolui (Democratic Party of Korea, Seo-gu District 4) spoke firmly into the microphone. Highlighting the reality faced by merchants in the Geumho district who have suffered due to delays in the construction of Metro Line 2, he demanded responsible measures from the Gwangju city government.

Near the construction site of Phase 1, Section 2 of Gwangju Metro Line 2 in Geumho-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, on the morning of the 3rd. The construction fence was installed right next to the road, causing inconvenience for both vehicles and pedestrians, and nearby stores were continuing their daily operations amid dust and noise. A self-employed business owner operating a store nearby expressed distress, saying, "As the construction drags on, both customers and daily motivation are decreasing." Photo by Song Bohyun

Assemblyman Shim criticized, "The subway is the future transportation infrastructure of Gwangju, but the cost of that future is being shifted onto small business owners," adding, "The administration keeps repeating that there is no other choice because it is construction work."

He also detailed the actual damage along the construction section stretching from Uncheon Reservoir to Punggeum Intersection. Assemblyman Shim stated, "The construction fence has been pushed right up to the storefronts, leaving only enough space for a single person to pass by," and added, "The monthly sales at the food supply mart have dropped by nearly 20 million won in just one month, and the clothing store now has only a handful of customers each day."

He continued, "We have endured, trusting the construction schedule presented by the city, but the promises have not been kept," emphasizing, "At the very least, the city should take responsibility for the losses caused by the construction delays." He further stated, "The city keeps repeating that compensation is only possible if business closure is unavoidable, but if there is no law, one should be created, and if there is no system, it should be designed."

Chul Shim, Gwangju City Council Member.

Assemblyman Shim also proposed indirect compensation measures such as providing local currency and consumption coupons, supporting public parking vouchers, and prioritizing purchases by public institutions. In addition, he put forward four specific demands: restoring accessibility to commercial districts, conducting an official investigation into the extent of the damage, publicly releasing the construction schedule and road opening plans, and designing a model to compensate for losses due to construction delays.

Meanwhile, according to Gwangju city officials, as of the end of October, the road opening rate for Sections 1 to 6 of Phase 1 of Metro Line 2 ranged from 34% to 93%. The section from the entrance of the Geumho district to the World Cup Stadium (Section 2) experienced the most delays due to the discovery of bedrock, heavy rainfall during the summer, and water pipe ruptures.

As work to stabilize the power lines progresses, the overall pace of restoration is gradually accelerating, and the city plans to complete the opening of most sections by December 22. However, in some areas such as Baegun Square, restoration is expected to be completed next year, as the work is being carried out in parallel with underpass construction.

The Gwangju city government is currently readjusting the entire Phase 1 construction schedule, with the opening now most likely to take place at the end of 2027.