A Fruitful Outcome After 18 Years of Renewed Effort
Total Project Cost of 1.0995 Trillion Won
Hongcheon to Cheongnyangni Connected in Just Over 1 Hour and 30 Minutes
Rapid Rise as a Key Satellite City of the Seoul Metropolitan Area
The construction project for the Yongmun~Hongcheon Metropolitan Railroad, a century-long aspiration and the most pressing issue for Hongcheon County in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, is finally set to move forward in earnest.
Hongcheon County passed the preliminary feasibility study for the Yongmun~Hongcheon Metropolitan Railroad Project at the 12th Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee meeting of the Ministry of Economy and Finance on the 22nd. Provided by Hongcheon County
On December 22, Hongcheon County officially announced that the Yongmun~Hongcheon Metropolitan Railroad Project had passed the preliminary feasibility study at the 12th Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee meeting of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This is a significant achievement, coming 18 years after the project failed to pass the preliminary feasibility study in 2007.
This project involves constructing a 32.7-kilometer railroad connecting Yongmun Station in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province (Gyeongui-Jungang Line), to Hongcheon County, with a total investment of 1.0995 trillion won in national funds.
Despite being the largest county in South Korea by area, Hongcheon County has long suffered from a lack of transportation infrastructure, as it was the only county in Gangwon Province without a railroad. Once the railroad is completed, travel time from Hongcheon to Yongmun-which currently takes 45 minutes by bus-will be reduced to 24 minutes, and it will take just over 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul.
As a result, Hongcheon County, which is three times larger than Seoul and similar in size to Jeju Island, will finally have a railway network, overcoming its status as the only county in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province without one.
The metropolitan railroad connecting to the Seoul metropolitan area, which has now passed the preliminary feasibility study, is expected to bring numerous possibilities and opportunities to Hongcheon County.
Additionally, the metropolitan railroad will integrate Hongcheon County into the same living and economic sphere as the Seoul metropolitan area, expanding the floating population through increased population inflow and daily commuters. This is expected to prevent regional decline, promote business attraction, and create new economic activities, thereby revitalizing the local economy.
The Yongmun~Hongcheon Metropolitan Railroad will serve as a stepping stone for Hongcheon County, located in the inland region of Yeongseo, Gangwon Province, to emerge as a key satellite city of the metropolitan area.
Hongcheon County, Yongmun~Hongcheon Metropolitan Railroad Project Promotion Material. Provided by Hongcheon County
Passing the preliminary feasibility study this time was a challenging feat, marking a second attempt 18 years after the project’s initial failure in 2007.
To overcome the low economic feasibility scores in the evaluation, Hongcheon County worked closely with related organizations such as Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and the Gangwon Research Institute to devise measures to improve economic viability. At the same time, they highlighted policy factors unique to Hongcheon County, such as daily population, return-to-farming and return-to-village migration, induced demand, and military personnel mobility, to earn higher policy evaluation scores and successfully persuaded central government agencies.
The county also engaged in active promotional campaigns to communicate the residents’ aspirations and the necessity of the project.
Officials frequently visited the National Assembly, central government agencies, and the Korea Rail Network Authority, while also conducting promotional activities targeting political circles and related organizations at locations such as National Assembly Subway Station, Osong Station, and Sejong BRT bus stops.
Above all, the passionate and unwavering support of Hongcheon residents was the driving force behind passing the preliminary feasibility study.
People from all walks of life in the region continuously submitted petitions and issued statements. Residents organized weekly relay campaigns at the Sejong Government Complex to convey their wishes, and more than 120 letters and drawings expressing the hope for a railroad, created by local seniors and children, were compiled into a booklet and delivered to political leaders and central government officials.
The opening of the railroad is expected to do more than simply expand transportation options; it is anticipated to reshape the region’s landscape. Integration with the metropolitan area will accelerate population inflow, and the attraction of businesses and revitalization of the tourism industry are expected to bring a dramatic boost to the local economy.
A Hongcheon County official stated, "This remarkable achievement was made possible by the enthusiastic support of residents who have waited a hundred years," and added, "We will continue to work closely with relevant organizations during the subsequent feasibility study and basic planning process to ensure the project can break ground as early as possible."
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