Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Establish Dedicated Teams for GTX and Smart City Projects

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will establish a Smart City Development Team to oversee the development of the national pilot smart cities and a Metropolitan Wide Rapid Transit (GTX) Team responsible for the smooth promotion of the GTX in the metropolitan area.

According to industry sources, the Ministry recently announced the draft amendment to the "Enforcement Rules of the Organization Regulations of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Its Affiliated Agencies." According to this reorganization plan, the number of Ministry officials, excluding part-time employees, will increase by 14, from the current 979 to 993.

With this organizational restructuring, dedicated teams for GTX and smart cities, which are key projects of the current administration, will be established, strengthening the promotion of these projects. According to the amendment, the Metropolitan Wide Rapid Transit Team, dedicated to GTX, will be organized under the Railway Bureau, led by a director-level official. This team will oversee all related matters, from the establishment and implementation of GTX project plans to feasibility studies, basic plan development, approval of implementation plans, and the execution of private investment agreements and designation of project operators.

With the dedicated team in place, the promotion of projects such as the currently under-construction Line A (Gyeonggi Paju Unjeong New Town to Hwaseong Dongtan New Town), the Line B (Incheon Songdo to Gyeonggi Namyangju Maseok) which has passed preliminary feasibility studies, and Line C (Gyeonggi Yangju Deokjeong Station to Suwon Suwon Station) whose basic plan is being developed, is expected to gain momentum.

Under the Urban and Land Office, a Smart City Development Team will be newly established. Similarly, a director-level official is likely to be appointed as the team leader. This team will be responsible for the designation of national pilot smart cities, the establishment, implementation, and management of related plans, as well as international cooperation, overseas expansion, and performance evaluation. Currently, the national pilot smart cities designated are Sejong 5-1 Living Zone and Busan Eco Delta City.

The amendment will undergo a legislative notice period until the 7th, followed by the Cabinet meeting approval process. The dedicated teams are expected to be launched as early as this month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.