Winding Honam Line to Be Straightened... KTX to Run Directly to the Training Center

Ministry of Land Announces Honam Line High-Speed Rail Project

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on December 24 that it has finalized and officially published the master plan for the Honam Line high-speed construction project (Gasuwon to Nonsan). The plan includes straightening the alignment of the section between Gasuwon Station and Nonsan Station, as well as establishing the new Sinyeonmudae Station near the Nonsan Army Training Center.

With a total project budget of 920 billion won, the winding route between Daejeon Gasuwon Station and Nonsan Station will be straightened. Aging infrastructure will also be upgraded to enable high-speed operation at up to 250 km/h. This is a national project, and after completing the basic and detailed design phases, construction is scheduled to begin in 2029 and finish in 2034, with immediate opening upon completion.

Location map of Honam Line Gasuwon to Nonsan high-speed project. Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Once the project is completed, it will be much more convenient for the hundreds of thousands of new recruits and their families visiting the Nonsan Training Center each year. KTX travel times will be reduced by approximately 14 minutes compared to current schedules. The journey from Seodaejeon to Iksan, which currently takes about 58 minutes, will be shortened to around 44 minutes. The Seodaejeon to Gwangju Songjeong section will be reduced from 1 hour 36 minutes to 1 hour 22 minutes, and the Seodaejeon to Mokpo section will be cut from 2 hours 13 minutes to 1 hour 59 minutes.

The Ministry noted that this route, originally established in 1914, contains sharp curves and level crossings, and that upgrading these features will improve both safety and ride comfort. Yoon Jinwhan, Director General for Railways at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "We expect to provide faster rail services to the public and contribute to revitalizing local economies such as Seodaejeon."