Mayor Jung Jongbok Strongly Asserts the Justification for Attracting KTX-Eum to Gijang Station
On November 5, Gijang County in Busan visited the Korail headquarters in Daejeon to once again emphasize the necessity and justification for attracting the KTX-Eum Gijang Station as a stop.
Jung Jongbok, mayor of Gijang County, met with Lee Minseong, Head of Customer Marketing at Korail, and asserted that Gijang Station is the optimal location to serve as a KTX-Eum stop, conveying the strong aspirations of the county’s residents.
Mayor Jung highlighted that the number of passengers using Gijang Station is overwhelmingly higher compared to other stations on the Donghae Line. He cited a 48.5% year-on-year increase in the number of ITX-Maum and Mugunghwa-ho passengers at Gijang Station as evidence, objectively demonstrating the sharp rise in transportation demand and emphasizing the necessity of Gijang Station as a crucial criterion in the decision to designate a stop.
Mayor Jung stated, "Gijang County continues to achieve remarkable growth as a central city in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam. In order to meet the large-scale transportation demand generated by the Osiria Tourism Complex and the Southeastern Radiation Medical Science Industrial Complex, it is essential for KTX-Eum to stop at Gijang Station."
Jung Jongbok, mayor of Gijang County (right), and Gijang County staff are showing their determination to attract the KTX-Eum Gijang Station in front of the Korail headquarters. Photo by Gijang County
Last year, Gijang County gathered public support for the KTX-Eum stop through a county-wide rally, township sports events, and a letter-writing campaign by children in daycare centers, but the results were disappointing. Mayor Jung said, "This year, we will definitely succeed in attracting the stop and fulfill the wishes of our 174,000 residents."
Gijang County has already begun preparations to attract the KTX-Eum stop. After completing a feasibility study in 2022, the county submitted a petition with 141,000 signatures to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2023, launching full-scale efforts to secure the stop. In addition, through business agreements with local institutions and companies, Gijang County is offering various benefits to holders of ITX-Maum and Mugunghwa-ho tickets, continuously promoting the activation of Gijang Station usage.
Based on the increased use of Gijang Station and rising transportation demand, Gijang County believes that attracting the KTX-Eum stop will serve as a significant turning point for revitalizing the local economy and improving the transportation network.
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