Gangwon Province Achieves Remarkable "7-for-7" Success in SOC Preliminary Feasibility Studies
Secures Over 10 Trillion Won in Transportation Network Projects... On-Site Inspection of the Yongmun-Hongcheon Line
Around 1 Hour and 50 Minutes to Yongsan... Improved Access to the Seoul Metropolitan Area
Railway Expected to Transport 23,000 Passengers Per Day Upon Opening
On the 6th, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jintae) visited Yumokjeong-ri in Nam-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, the first gateway where the Yongmun-Hongcheon metropolitan railway enters Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, to review the project schedule and implementation direction for the Yongmun-Hongcheon metropolitan railway and listen to residents' opinions.
On the 6th, Kim Jintae, governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, visited Yumokjeong-ri, Nam-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, the first gateway where the Yongmun-Hongcheon Metropolitan Railway enters the province, to review the project's implementation schedule and direction. Provided by Gangwon Province
The Yongmun-Hongcheon metropolitan railway, which passed the preliminary feasibility study in December last year, is a single-track electric railway project (32.7 km) connecting Yongmun in Gyeonggi Province and Hongcheon in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, with a total project cost of 1.0995 trillion won.
Once the railway opens, two stations, Hongcheon Station and Nam-myeon Station, will be established in Hongcheon. Travel time from Hongcheon to Yongmun will be reduced from the current 45 minutes by bus to 24 minutes by rail, and access to the Seoul metropolitan area is expected to improve significantly, with travel times to Cheongnyangni reduced to around 1 hour and 30 minutes and to Yongsan to around 1 hour and 50 minutes.
In addition, once the railway is in operation, it is expected to be able to transport 23,000 passengers per day, which corresponds to the mass transport capacity of approximately 500 intercity buses, based on the current public transportation mode of buses.
The expansion of daily living areas resulting from improved transportation networks is also anticipated. Conditions will improve not only for residents of the Seoul metropolitan area to choose returning to their hometowns, farming, or rural living after retirement, but also for converting the population that currently stays temporarily for tourism and short-term visits into a permanent resident population.
Furthermore, momentum is expected to build for revitalizing six special zones currently being promoted by Hongcheon-gun, including the green bio industry and the antibody cluster, and positive effects are anticipated in terms of expanding the region's industrial base.
Governor Kim Jintae said, "This is the very place where the Yongmun-Hongcheon railway, which we have long awaited day and night, will come in," adding, "With the mindset that we are only just beginning, we will carefully prepare each and every step in the project implementation process."
Status of Major Social Overhead Capital (SOC) Projects in Gangwon Teukbyeol Jachido That Passed Preliminary Feasibility Studies. Provided by Gangwon Teukbyeol Jachido
The Yongmun-Hongcheon metropolitan railway is expected to take about 8 to 10 years in total, including a feasibility study (1 year), basic and detailed design (2 years), and construction and trial operation (5 to 7 years), with final opening projected between 2034 and 2036.
The province and Hongcheon-gun plan to actively respond by establishing step-by-step implementation plans, including station area development and regional development strategies linked to the railway, up until the line opens.
They also plan to closely cooperate with Hongcheon-gun and the Korea National Railway to minimize inconvenience to residents during the construction process.
In addition, they intend to pre-review response measures for each stage of project implementation and swiftly promote station area development and regional development strategies linked to the metropolitan railway in order to maximize the project’s effectiveness.
Meanwhile, since the launch of the 8th popularly elected administration, the province has achieved the accomplishment of securing a total of seven SOC transportation network projects worth 10.9215 trillion won through preliminary feasibility studies and renewed feasibility studies.
Major projects include Seomyeon Bridge, Dongmak-Gaeya, the Jecheon-Yeongwol Expressway, the Yeongwol-Samcheok Expressway, Gwangdeok Tunnel, the Second Gyeongchun National Highway, and the Yongmun-Hongcheon metropolitan railway, and an announcement on the Samcheok-Gangneung high-speed railway project is scheduled for later this month.
Subsequently, Governor Kim visited the Yangdeokwon 1-ri senior center in Nam-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, and spent time communicating with residents.
Kim Jintae, governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, visited the Yangdeokwon 1-ri senior center in Nam-myeon, Hongcheon-gun on the 6th and is spending time communicating with residents. Provided by Gangwon Province
Hyeon Chun, head of the village senior association, said, "All the village residents welcome this project, and we are very pleased that, after many rounds of discussion, the project has finally been confirmed," adding, "We hope that construction will be completed as soon as possible so that the elderly can conveniently travel to and from Seoul by rail."
Governor Kim said, "It is especially meaningful that a train will be coming to this area for the first time in 100 years," and added, "We will implement the project as planned without any setbacks so that the elderly can conveniently travel to and from Seoul."
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