Andong and Wonju Stations on the 'Old Jungang Line' to Be Developed into Tourism and Cultural Complex Spaces

Danyang-gun Development Bird's-eye View / Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kangwook Cho] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Rail Network Authority announced on the 8th that they held a joint meeting at the Sejong Government Complex with local governments including Danyang-gun, Andong-si, and Wonju-si to efficiently utilize the existing Jungang Line railway sites.

At this meeting, the agencies focused on discussing specific development plans for the old Danseong Station, Andong Station, Wonju Station, Jukryeong Station sections, and abandoned railway sites that lost their function following the opening of the KTX service between Cheongnyangni and Andong on the Jungang Line in January.

Danyang-gun presented plans to create a stay-type complex cultural space through tourist facilities such as scenic trains and rail bikes, as well as convenience facilities like agricultural product sales venues for local residents. Andong-si and Wonju-si also shared their interests and ideas to revitalize the local economy through urban development around the existing stations.

Danyang-gun plans to proceed with signing a business promotion agreement between the Rail Network Authority and the project operator (March), establishing an investment company (May); Wonju-si will hold a project operator contest (December); Andong-si will establish a business plan (December) and hold a project operator contest (December 2022).

Additionally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport decided to actively support local governments to ensure no difficulties arise in promoting development projects utilizing railway assets, including reviewing reductions in point and usage fees, reflecting the suggestions raised at this meeting into policy.

The Ministry and the Rail Network Authority have been promoting various development projects to more valuably reuse idle sites such as abandoned lines from existing routes that inevitably occur due to railway high-speed and electrification projects.

Last year, they supported and promoted the ‘Beach Train and Sky Capsule’ project (Haeundae-gu, Busan) on the old Donghae Nambu Line section. On the Yeongdong Line, they created the ‘Tourist Switchback Train’ (Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do), and on the Gyeongchun Line, the ‘Rail Bike and Kim Yu-jeong Station Literary Space’ (Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do). As a result, these abandoned railway sites have become well-established local attractions.

Kim Seontae, Director of the Railway Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We plan to continue actively supporting the discovery of various projects so that development projects utilizing abandoned railway sites can contribute to the lives of local residents and job creation."

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