Calls for Resumption of Rail Projects Dropped in Feasibility Study
Petition to Be Submitted to Seoul City, Ministry of Land, and Ministry of Economy and Finance
Sixty-five thousand residents of Yangcheon District, Seoul, are calling for the resumption of the Mokdong Line and Gangbuk Transversal Line projects, which were previously eliminated during the preliminary feasibility study. On December 22, the Yangcheon District Office (headed by Mayor Lee Kijae) announced that it had completed a resident petition campaign urging the re-promotion of the Mokdong Line and Gangbuk Transversal Line, collecting 65,000 signatures and holding a delivery ceremony on the 17th.
The district plans to submit the petition to relevant authorities, including the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Seoul Institute, and will actively recommend the resumption of the projects.
Mokdong Line and Gangbuk Transversal Line Re-promotion Petition Delivery Ceremony, showing strong determination by Lee Ki-jae, Yangcheon District Mayor (center), and staff. Provided by Yangcheon District Office.
The petition campaign was conducted both online and offline over approximately two and a half months, from September 15 to November 30. Not only Yangcheon residents but also those who commute to work or school in the district participated, demonstrating strong consensus and determination for expanding the local rail network.
The Mokdong Line is a route that would connect Sinwol-dong, currently the only area in Seoul without urban rail, and the large-scale redevelopment zones of Sinjeong-dong and Mok-dong, to Dangsan Station. The Gangbuk Transversal Line would start from Mokdong Station, pass through Deungchon-ro and Deungchon Station, and continue to Cheongnyangni Station.
Although both lines were expected to dramatically improve transportation convenience for residents by passing through major areas, the projects faced suspension after being deemed economically unfeasible in last year's preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The Yangcheon District Office pointed out the structural issues of the current preliminary feasibility study system, which fails to reflect future urban growth and transportation demand. The office emphasized that the Mokdong Line and Gangbuk Transversal Line are essential to proactively respond to the rapid increase in population and transportation demand resulting from the Mokdong Apartment redevelopment, the development of the Seobu Truck Terminal, and the redevelopment of the Sinwol-dong area.
Yangcheon District is on the verge of rapid urban transformation. The Mokdong Apartment redevelopment, which is being promoted on a scale comparable to a new city with nearly 100,000 residents, has completed the designation of all 14 complexes as maintenance zones this year and is progressing rapidly. In a total of 66 zones, various types of urban renewal projects, including private and public redevelopment, station area revitalization, street housing improvement, and Moa Town projects, are actively underway.
The Seobu Truck Terminal, located in Sinjeong-dong and covering an area of 104,000 square meters, held its groundbreaking ceremony on November 4. The project aims to complete a large-scale, advanced urban logistics complex integrating residential, shopping, and logistics facilities by 2031.
Yangcheon District Mayor Lee Kijae stated, "The Mokdong Line and Gangbuk Transversal Line are key transportation infrastructures that will determine the future competitiveness of Yangcheon District. By delivering the petition containing the wishes of 65,000 residents to the relevant authorities and working closely with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, we will do our utmost to ensure these projects are resumed."
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