Gwangju and Daegu Lawmakers Join Hands to Build the 'Dalbit Naeryuk Railroad'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Members of the National Assembly from Gwangju and Daegu have joined hands for the great integration of Yeonghonam and national balanced development.

According to the Democratic Party of Korea Gwangju Metropolitan City Party on the 11th, 16 members of the National Assembly from Gwangju and Daegu held a joint press conference and stated, “It is time for the government to respond to the demands of both ruling and opposition parties and the citizens of Yeonghonam provinces for the inclusion of the Gwangju~Daegu Dalbit Inland Railway, a symbol of Yeonghonam great integration and national balanced development, in the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan.”

This joint press conference of Gwangju and Daegu National Assembly members was attended by eight members from Gwangju, including Song Gap-seok, chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea Gwangju City Party, and Lee Byung-hoon, Yang Hyang-ja, Yoon Young-duk, Jo Oh-seop, Lee Hyung-seok, Lee Yong-bin, Min Hyung-bae, as well as eight members from Daegu, including former floor leader Joo Ho-young of the People Power Party, Kim Yong-pan, Hong Seok-jun, Yoon Jae-ok, Yang Geum-hee, Kim Seung-soo, Kang Dae-sik, and Kim Sang-hoon.

They stated, “The Dalbit Inland Railway is the only railway project that has remained in the additional review category, effectively unreflected for four consecutive times in the 1st to 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plans,” and added, “This means that the reality of local areas, where economic feasibility is impossible, is being ignored, leaving only the possibility of necessity, thus subjecting the project to 'hope torture' for over 20 years.”

They continued, “The core policy goals of the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan are ‘connecting major hub cities within two hours by rail’ and establishing a national circular railroad network,” and explained, “Ignoring the east-west connection of Yeonghonam and only reflecting plans centered on the north-south axis toward the metropolitan area cannot realize the policy goals of the national minimum standard railroad network.”

They also emphasized, “In the reality of South Korea having become a metropolitan republic, for local areas to overcome the crisis of extinction and form a metropolitan economic zone competitive with the metropolitan area, a policy decision to create demand through the prior supply of railroads is necessary,” and added, “The Dalbit Inland Railway is a route with high potential to revitalize the southern regional metropolitan economic zone by linking regional industries not only in Gwangju and Daegu but also in Ulsan and Busan, creating synergistic effects.”

Along with this, they stated, “National balanced development must not be halted by the rigid administration of some government officials,” and added, “We hope the Moon Jae-in administration will be recorded in history as the government that decisively broke down the long-standing regionalism in our society and took the great integration route of east-west harmony.”

Song Gap-seok, chairman of the Gwangju City Party, said, “Today’s press conference is historically significant as it is the first time in constitutional history that members of the National Assembly from Gwangju and Daegu have joined hands and held a joint press conference,” and added, “It signifies the beginning of a challenge to find a better vision for South Korea, with Gwangju and Daegu running together for national balanced development.”

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