Jeonnam Secures 778.6 Billion Won in National Funding for Railways and Airports Next Year... Two-Hour Nationwide Living Zone Planned

Construction of Southwestern Rail Network Including Honam High-Speed, Jeolla, and Gyeongjeon Lines
Expansion of Safety Facilities at Muan and Yeosu Airports, and Promotion of Heuksan Airport Construction

Construction site of the School Bridge, part of the Honam High-Speed Railway construction section. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Jeonnam Province announced on December 30 that it has secured 778.6 billion won in next year's national funding for social overhead capital (SOC) in the railway and airport sectors. With this budget, the province will begin in earnest the construction of a high-speed rail network that will connect Jeonnam and the rest of the country within a two-hour living zone, as well as expand airport safety infrastructure. The amount of national funding secured this year marks a 140% increase from the previous year.

First, 570 billion won has been allocated to the second phase of the Honam High-Speed Railway project, making completion by 2026 a visible goal.

Once the ongoing roadbed construction is finished, subsequent processes such as track, power, signaling, and communications will proceed seamlessly without interruption. When the project is completed, accessibility to the Seoul metropolitan area will be greatly improved, and the new Muan International Airport Station-where an airport and KTX will be directly connected for the first time in the country-will help further revitalize the airport.

For the Gyeongjeon Line electrification project between Gwangju Songjeong and Suncheon, 172.2 billion won has been allocated, significantly increasing the likelihood of construction beginning in 2026. Although the decision to build an underground section through downtown Suncheon has raised project costs and made a renewed feasibility study inevitable, this budget allocation is seen as a clear signal of the government's commitment to the project. Jeonnam Province aims to shorten the period for the feasibility reassessment as much as possible and break ground in 2026.

For the Jeolla Line high-speed upgrade connecting Iksan and Yeosu, 500 million won has been allocated in the 2026 government budget for basic planning services, laying the groundwork for the project. This project was selected in October 2024 as a candidate for a preliminary feasibility study, which is currently underway. The goal is to begin basic planning after passing the feasibility review in the first half of 2026. Once completed, travel time between Seoul, the capital region, and the Honam area will be shortened, further strengthening regional mobility rights.

Additionally, 18.5 billion won has been allocated for the renovation of the aging Mokpo Station, which has a history spanning half a century, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026. The plan is to improve facilities such as the waiting room and platforms, expand amenities and safety features for transportation-vulnerable groups, and transform Mokpo Station into a new multi-cultural space.

Regarding the Mokpo-Boseong Line, which opened last September, 3 billion won has been allocated for land acquisition based on finalized surveys and for post-opening environmental impact assessment costs, ensuring that follow-up procedures after the opening will proceed smoothly.

In the airport sector, 8.1 billion won has been allocated for the installation of bird detection radar at Muan and Yeosu Airports, and 1.4 billion won for securing a longitudinal safety area (240 meters), marking the start of full-scale efforts to enhance airport safety. In addition, 4.8 billion won has been allocated for the construction of Heuksan Airport to guarantee basic transportation rights for island residents. Jeonnam Province plans to swiftly complete the feasibility reassessment, which began in January, and aims to start construction in the first half of 2026.

Jeonnam Province will make every effort to ensure that large-scale new projects are included in the national plans for the railway and airport sectors, which are scheduled to be finalized in 2026. The main proposals are ▲ The 5th National Rail Network Construction Plan (eight projects including the Honam High-Speed Railway and Gyeongjeon Line connection, totaling 41.4627 trillion won) ▲ The 7th Comprehensive Airport Development Plan (six projects including the integration and relocation of Gwangju Airport to Muan International Airport, runway extensions at Muan and Yeosu Airports, and the construction of Heuksan Airport, totaling 821.1 billion won), amounting to a total of 14 projects worth 42.2888 trillion won.

Moon Inki, Director of Construction and Transportation at Jeonnam Province, stated, "With this round of national funding, the expansion of Jeonnam's railway and airport infrastructure will accelerate," adding, "We will systematically respond to ensure the stable implementation of each project and their inclusion in future national plans."