"GTX, Our Region Must Also Be Included"… Intensifying Conflicts Surrounding C and D Lines

Possibility of Adding 'Wangsimni Station' to GTX-C Line↑
Anyang, Uiwang, Dongducheon Also Demand New Stations
GTX Draws Metropolitan Area Attention... Housing Prices Fluctuate
Protests in Dropped Areas... Gimpo Struggles for a Month
Next Month's C·D Line Outline... Concerns Over Renewed Conflicts

A large banner urging the direct connection of the GTX-D line to Seoul is hung on the exterior wall of an apartment in Gimpo City.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Regional conflicts over attracting the 수도권광역급행철도 (GTX) are intensifying. While the GTX-D line has been embroiled in controversy for a month due to opposition from residents of Gimpo and Incheon demanding a direct connection to Gangnam, tensions are also rising among regions over the three additional stations to be added beyond the original 10 stations on the GTX-C line, which is about to select its operator. Both lines are expected to reveal their final outlines next month, raising concerns that opposition from local residents could spread again depending on the results.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the real estate industry on the 25th, three companies?Hyundai Construction, GS Construction, and POSCO Construction?have formed a consortium to participate in the GTX-C line project. The C line, connecting Yangju and Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, will be carried out as a Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) type revenue-generating private investment project, where a private operator builds with private funds and operates for 40 years to recover the investment. Initially planned with 10 stations including Chang-dong, Gwangwoon University, Cheongnyangni, and Samsung, the Ministry of Land allowed the operator to propose up to three additional stations on the condition that the operator bears the costs.

In the competition to attract new stations, Anyang City (Indeokwon Station), Uiwang City (Uiwang Station), Seoul Seongdong-gu (Wangsimni Station), and Dongducheon City (Dongducheon Station) have entered the race. Currently, it is known that all three participating companies have included Wangsimni Station in their basic bid proposals, making it highly likely to be added. Wangsimni Station, a transfer hub served by Subway Lines 2 and 5 as well as the Bundang Line and Gyeongui-Jungang Line, has been considered a strong candidate for a new station from the start.

Since GTX lines significantly impact not only regional transportation environments but also housing prices, strong opposition is expected from residents of areas that are excluded. Besides Seongdong-gu, Anyang City and Uiwang City are all pushing for additional stations at the municipal level with great determination. Especially in northern Gyeonggi areas, where the railway network is insufficient, there are claims that line connections are urgently needed for balanced regional development.

A Ministry of Land official explained, "The additional stations proposed by the operator selected as the preferred negotiator will undergo feasibility verification, but the possibility is high. Since the private operator proposes based on business analysis, it is difficult for the government to change the plan on its own after selection." However, industry insiders express concerns that once the preferred negotiator is chosen around the 18th of next month and the three additional stations are finalized, collective opposition similar to that in Gimpo could arise.

The GTX-D line is already facing strong opposition from residents of Gimpo, Bucheon, and Seo-gu in Incheon due to the failure to secure a direct connection to Gangnam. The anger has grown as perceptions of poor transportation compared to Seoul or southern Gyeonggi areas and the housing price decline caused by the railway cancellation have overlapped. Residents of Geomdan and Yeongjong areas in Incheon are also demanding that the D line pass through their regions.

On the other hand, criticism of "excessive regional selfishness" against Gimpo and others is spreading in other areas, showing that conflicts surrounding GTX are escalating. An industry official who requested anonymity said, "It is difficult to insist on a Gangnam connection without business feasibility analysis. If the plan is drawn incorrectly from the start, the preliminary feasibility study may fail, and you could lose 3 to 4 years."

The D line’s connection to Gangnam is expected to be confirmed when the final version of the 4th National Railroad Network Construction Plan is released next month. The Ministry of Land is reportedly continuing to consider connection options to Yeouido or Yongsan, as many residents including those in Gimpo prefer rapid project implementation over a Gangnam connection, aside from some investors.

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