Gangdong-gu Requests Inclusion of GTX-D Line Passing Through Gangdong-gu in the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan

All-Out Efforts to Reflect Projects Before June Final Announcement Through Solidarity and Joint Response with Political Circles and Nearby Local Governments

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) announced on the 22nd that it will strongly urge the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to establish a GTX-D (Western Metropolitan Express Railroad) route passing through Gangdong-gu, as presented at the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan online public hearing hosted by the Korea Transport Institute.

Since October 2019, when the Metropolitan Transportation Committee of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the ‘Western Region New Line Review’ in the ‘Metropolitan Transportation Vision 2030,’ Gangdong-gu has been actively working to attract the GTX-D line, which is expected to be a groundbreaking solution to alleviate the rapidly increasing metropolitan traffic congestion caused by large-scale reconstruction, land development, and business complex formation leading to population growth.

From March to August last year, a resident signature campaign was conducted, resulting in the participation of over 100,000 residents, accounting for one-quarter of the total population of Gangdong-gu. In September 2020, the ‘100,000 Resident Signature Petition for Attracting the GTX-D Line to Gangdong-gu’ was delivered during a meeting with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, requesting the inclusion of the GTX-D Gangdong-gu route in higher-level plans such as the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan.

Additionally, from June to December last year, the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Seoul National University of Science and Technology conducted a research project on the introduction of GTX-D in Gangdong-gu. The interim and final reports were submitted twice, in August last year and February this year, to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Seoul City, requesting the inclusion of the GTX-D Gangdong-gu route in the ‘2nd Metropolitan Area Basic Transportation Plan’ and the ‘4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan.’

Gangdong-gu emphasized that the route announced at this public hearing, connecting Gimpo to Bucheon only in the western metropolitan area, does not function as a metropolitan express railroad at all. When transferring at Bucheon Sports Complex to the existing Seoul Subway Lines 7 and 2, the access time to the Gangnam area exceeds 50 minutes, failing to improve Gangnam accessibility for the western Gyeonggi region. Even residents in the project area oppose the proposed route, highlighting that the announced route satisfies no one.

Since all three Gangdong-gu route proposals presented by the district’s research have a B/C (Benefit-Cost) ratio of over 1.0, confirming economic feasibility, it stressed that economic feasibility would be difficult to secure without linking Seoul’s Gangnam area, Gangdong-gu, and Hanam City in Gyeonggi Province. The district strongly stated that the GTX-D Gangdong-gu route it proposed must be reflected in the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan.

Furthermore, it emphasized that the Gangdong-gu route must be pursued to alleviate demand congestion on the saturated section of Seoul Subway Line 2 between Sadang and Jamsil stations. Since the National Railroad Network Construction Plan is a long-term plan establishing railroad projects for the next ten years, it will urge that the railroad network plan be developed from a long-term perspective.

Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon of Gangdong-gu stated, “GTX is a project connecting major points from the outskirts of the metropolitan area to downtown Seoul within 30 minutes, resolving the severe traffic congestion in the metropolitan area. It connects not only the western metropolitan area but also Seoul’s Gangnam and southeastern regions. We will do our utmost to ensure that the Gangdong-gu proposed route is included in the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan so that it can fully perform its function of improving metropolitan transportation.”

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