Mayor Lee Hyunjae of Hanam Issues Statement
"We Have Waited 17 Years... No More Discrimination"
Calls for Approval of Preliminary Feasibility Study for the Wirye-Sinsa Line
Requests Inclusion of Hanam Extension in the 5th Metropolitan Trans
On January 15, Lee Hyunjae, Mayor of Hanam City, issued a statement at the Hanam City Hall Situation Room, strongly urging the approval of the preliminary feasibility study for the "Wirye-Sinsa Line Urban Railway Construction Project" (hereinafter referred to as the Wirye-Sinsa Line), which is currently under review by the Ministry of Planning and Budget (formerly the Ministry of Strategy and Finance).
Lee Hyunjae, Mayor of Hanam City, announced a statement strongly urging the preliminary feasibility study approval for the "Wirye-Sinsa Line Urban Railway Construction Project" (hereinafter referred to as Wirye-Sinsa Line), which is under review by the Ministry of Planning and Budget (formerly the Ministry of Strategy and Finance), at the Hanam City Hall Situation Room on the 15th. Provided by Hanam City
In his statement, Mayor Lee said, "The Wirye-Sinsa Line has not even begun construction for 17 years since the comprehensive transportation improvement measures for Wirye New Town were finalized in 2008." He added, "Residents of Wirye New Town have contributed a total of 547 billion won to the Wirye railway projects (Wirye-Sinsa Line and Wirye Tram), but as the 2024 private investment project for the Wirye-Sinsa Line ultimately failed, the patience of Wirye residents, who have trusted and waited for the government, has reached its limit."
He further emphasized, "In particular, residents of Wirye in Hanam City have suffered prolonged transportation inconveniences due to poor public transit (buses). Although Hanam citizens have contributed 125.6 billion won to the railway project costs for Wirye New Town, Hanam alone is excluded from the railway influence zone, resulting in transportation discrimination within the single living sphere of Wirye New Town."
He also mentioned that, including an August 2022 meeting with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, he has made more than 36 formal requests to central government bodies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Metropolitan Transport Commission for the prompt implementation of the Wirye-Sinsa Line and the extension of the Wirye-Sinsa Line to Hanam.
In addition, he highlighted that in June 2025, the Wirye Joint Issues Committee will submit a proposal to Seoul City for the extension of the Wirye-Sinsa Line to Hanam, that in August 2025, Hanam City will hold an expert forum on the extension, and that in October 2025, a petition with a total of 18,637 signatures supporting the extension was delivered to the chair of the Metropolitan Transport Commission, the second vice governor of Gyeonggi Province, and other relevant agencies. He stressed that it is essential for the extension of the Wirye-Sinsa Line to Hanam to be included in the "5th Metropolitan Transport Implementation Plan."
Mayor Lee stated, "I will deliver the statement urging the approval of the Wirye-Sinsa Line preliminary feasibility study to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Planning and Budget, and the Korea Development Institute (KDI), and I will strongly request both the approval of the preliminary feasibility study and the extension of the Wirye-Sinsa Line to Hanam for the residents who trusted government policy and moved into Wirye New Town."
Meanwhile, the Wirye-Sinsa Line was designated as a "fast-track preliminary feasibility study" project in April last year following the review by the Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Planning and Budget. Given that the fast-track feasibility study for railway projects takes nine months, the final evaluation results are expected to be announced between late January and February.
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