Continental Railroad Donghae Bukbu Line 'Straightened via Seoraksan Section Tunnel'

Ministry of Environment Completes Consultation on Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment Changes
Construction to Start in Second Half of This Year... Target Opening in 2027

[Korea Rail Network Authority]

[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] Gangwon Province announced on the 3rd that "the Ministry of Environment's strategic environmental impact assessment modification consultation for the Seoraksan section of the Donghae Northern Line 'Gangneung~Jejin Railway Construction Project,' which had raised concerns about normal project progress due to delays in consultation, has been completed."

The section subject to modification consultation was identified as having several issues, including safety accident risks due to sharp curves caused by the design bypassing the national park during the basic design phase, environmental damage, disruption of residents' living areas, and hindrance to the urban development of Sokcho City.

Accordingly, in May last year, a route change was requested to straighten the line by passing through the national park via a tunnel (the section entering Sokcho from Yangyang), and the modification consultation was achieved in eight months.

With the railway route finalized, the province plans to cooperate with the Korea National Railway Corporation to complete the public announcement and inspection of the draft environmental impact assessment starting in January, hold residents' briefings, finalize detailed designs, and commence construction in the second half of this year aiming for opening in 2027.

The province has been operating an 'Ecological and Environmental Advisory Group' involving experts from various fields and city/county officials to provide advice during the environmental impact assessment and permit processes regarding ecological and environmental impacts arising from the railway project.

Park Ki-dong, Director of the Gangwon Province Construction and Transportation Bureau, stated, "There are many pending issues such as environmental impact assessments to be resolved for the normal opening in 2027, and we will cooperate with the Korea National Railway Corporation."

Meanwhile, the Donghae Northern Line is a railway connecting Yangyang and Anbyeon, which opened in 1937 and served as a major route for inter-Korean rail transport but was suspended during the Korean War and closed in 1967.

The Donghae Northern Line, a representative inter-Korean railway SOC project, held a groundbreaking ceremony in Goseong in early January last year. Subsequently, at the 313th Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council held in April, it was recognized as an inter-Korean cooperation project and exempted from preliminary feasibility studies.

The Donghae Line is evaluated as having potential as a continental railway connecting the Korean Peninsula with the Trans-China Railway (TCR) and the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR), linking the Korean Peninsula, Russia, and Europe.

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