"2,000 Sign in Two Days"... Controversy Grows Over Delayed 'Rail Network Plan' Announcement

Petition Campaign Urges Government to Keep 2025 Announcement Promise
Nearly 2,000 Signatures Collected in Just Two Days
Ministry of Land Clarifies: "No Official Announcement of Delay"
Fierce Competition Among 160 Proposed Projects Nationwid

The drafting of the 5th National Railroad Network Plan, which will serve as the blueprint for the nation’s railways over the next ten years (2026-2035), has become a key task for the new administration, while controversy is spreading over the delay in its announcement. This plan is the most closely watched issue in the rail sector, particularly due to the potential inclusion of the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX) lines D, E, and F, as well as the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railway. Claims have emerged in real estate communities that the announcement, originally expected by the end of this year, has been postponed to the first half of 2026, sparking an online petition campaign demanding its prompt release. The government has stated, “There has been no postponement to next year,” but there is growing skepticism about the feasibility of an announcement within this year.

Jeongseon County, which is conducting a petition campaign to include the KTX Jeongseon-Pyeongchang line in the 5th National Railroad Network Plan. Jeongseon County.

According to the real estate industry on the 14th, posts titled “Petition Campaign for the Government to Fulfill Its Promise on the 5th National Railroad Network Plan in the Greater Seoul Area” and links to related petition pages have been uploaded to comprehensive apartment platforms such as Hogangnono. The posts claim, “The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has postponed the announcement of the 5th plan, originally scheduled for the end of this year, to the first half of next year. This plan is the blueprint for Korea’s transportation network, including GTX-D, KTX, and the Daejang-Hongdae line,” and urge people to sign, stating, “Any further delay would mean a loss of development opportunities for the Greater Seoul Area and the regions that have been waiting for this announcement.” The petition campaign began on the 12th, and within two days, it had garnered nearly 2,000 participants.

The 5th plan was initially scheduled to be announced in June, but the timing was pushed back to the end of the year due to the political turmoil surrounding the impeachment proceedings. As the expected announcement date approached with no signs of release, rumors of a delay gained traction. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has denied the rumors of a postponement to next year, expressing frustration. Yoon Jinhwan, Director-General of the Railway Bureau at the ministry, dismissed the claims, stating, “There has been no announcement of a delay,” and added, “Even as the director, I am unaware of any such decision.”

However, there is widespread skepticism about whether the announcement can be made within this year. The schedule for the public hearing, a key step before the announcement, has not even been posted yet. Director Yoon explained, “With project proposals pouring in from across the country, the analysis by the Korea Transport Institute, which was commissioned for the study, is being delayed. At this point, it is difficult to specify exactly when the announcement will be made, and it is likely that the outline for the public hearing schedule will only become clear around December.”

Geoje City, Tongyeong City, and Goseong County are conducting a petition campaign to include the Geoje-Gadeokdo New Airport connecting railway in the 5th National Railroad Network Plan. Geoje City.

The National Railroad Network Plan is the highest-level statutory plan in the rail sector, established by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport every ten years on a five-year cycle. In 2022, the government commissioned the Korea Transport Institute to draft the plan, which will cover the ten years from next year through 2035. Projects not included in this plan cannot proceed with preliminary feasibility studies, main feasibility studies, design, or groundbreaking.

Approximately 160 routes have been proposed nationwide for the 5th plan, with the total estimated project cost reaching about 360 trillion won. Only a portion of these proposals will be included in the final plan after feasibility reviews. In the Greater Seoul Area, major routes such as GTX-D, E, and F, the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railway, the East-West Gyeonggi Southern Line, the KTX Pyeongchang-Jeongseon Line, the West Coast Railway, and the Geoje-Gadeokdo New Airport connecting railway have all been proposed. Competition is fiercer than during the 4th plan, which saw 108 applications and 43 projects included.

Some observers suggest that the announcement of the plan could be delayed until after next year’s local elections. There are political risks involved: inclusion in the plan could spark controversy over “pork-barrel support,” while exclusion could lead to a loss of voter support. A government official commented, “After the public hearing, complaints from local governments, lawmakers, and political circles tend to surge, and it can take several months just to coordinate these issues. There is a possibility that the official notice will be pushed beyond the first half of next year.”