Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport 'Metropolitan Railroad Infrastructure' Confirmed... 'Daegu-Gyeongbuk Line' Reflected in National Railroad Network Plan

"Icheolwoo Governor, Achieves Interdepartmental Agreement with Unique Negotiation Skills"

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport revealed the '4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan (draft)' through a public hearing on the 22nd of last month, which includes the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Line, a new airport-linked railway, raising expectations that the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport construction project will gain momentum.

The 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan focuses on improving the efficiency of railroad operations and providing high-speed mobility services between regional hubs, based on an analysis of existing railroad network issues and changes in the national spatial structure. This is a national statutory plan outlining the basic direction and route expansion plans for the national railroad network construction over the next 10 years (2021?2030).

A notable part of this plan is the confirmation of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Line, an essential transportation infrastructure to enhance accessibility to the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport, which is scheduled to open in 2028.

Gyeongbuk Province initially strongly requested the government to include the airport-linked railway construction as a general railway project (100% national funding) after the confirmation of the integrated new airport relocation. However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport responded with a policy of not including it as a general railway and instead proposed the promotion of a metropolitan railway to Gyeongbuk Province.

The metropolitan railway, promoted under the Special Act on Metropolitan Area Transportation Management, requires the local governments along the route to bear 30% of the construction costs and 100% of the operating losses. From the planning stage to the implementation stage, including route planning, new station establishment, and auxiliary facility plans, the opinions of local governments must be collected.

Considering the expansion of the integrated new airport's influence zone through various development plans such as attracting businesses and industrial complexes around the airport area, Gyeongbuk Province explained that construction as a double-track electrified railway capable of rapid transport of human and material resources was absolutely necessary.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo, who judged that a proper railway must be built even if local funds had to be borne, demonstrated his unique determination and negotiation skills by meeting consecutively with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's ministers and vice ministers, leading to an agreement on metropolitan railway transportation infrastructure.

The expansion of the Jungang Expressway from Eumnae Junction to Uiseong Interchange and the construction of the expressway between Bukgumi Interchange and Gunwi Junction, centered on the integrated new airport, is also a major point of interest regarding whether it will be included in the 2nd Expressway Construction Plan to be announced in the first half of this year.

Gyeongbuk Province plans to focus on early confirmation of the new airport-linked transportation network plan by reflecting not only the significant achievement of confirming the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Line in the railway sector but also the expressway network in the national plan, ensuring no setbacks in the successful opening of the integrated new airport and the fostering of related industries.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo emphasized, "The integrated new airport is expected to create new growth engines for the next 100 years of Daegu and Gyeongbuk as the largest Korean New Deal project in the post-COVID-19 era."

He added, "Using the early confirmation of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Line as a national plan, which is the first step and an essential element for the successful opening and smooth landing of the integrated new airport, we will perfectly establish not only SOC but also related industries."

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