Ruling Party and Government Say No Issues with 'Yangpyeong Expressway'... Won Hee-ryong Calls for Complete Cancellation (Comprehensive)

Ruling Party and Government Emphasize 'No Issues' in Agreement on the Morning of the 6th
Won Hee-ryong: "No Way to Stop Rumors... Project Canceled"

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, announced that he will completely scrap the Seoul-Yangpyeong highway project, which the Democratic Party of Korea and others have raised suspicions of preferential treatment for the family of First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Although the ruling party and government explained that there was no problem in the process of changing the highway route, Minister Won pressured by saying, "I will stake my political life, so the Democratic Party should put up their sign."

After concluding a meeting with the People Power Party and government officials at the National Assembly on the 6th, Minister Won told reporters, "Regarding the Seoul-Yangpyeong highway, not only will we stop reviewing the route, but we will also completely halt the road construction project at this point and scrap all projects promoted by this administration." As he left the press conference venue, he raised his voice, saying, "Lee Jae-myung, put up the Democratic Party sign and let's have a showdown."

He said, "We cannot waste national power while the Democratic Party's agitation frame is in operation," adding, "Because the Democratic Party's incessant petty agitation will continue, we will scrap the project itself." He continued, "If this route is really necessary, let the next government (carry out the project)," and added, "Regarding that process, I hope the Democratic Party and those raising suspicions will be involved from the beginning in the route decision process, so that only the diligent officials do not suffer later."

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong is speaking at the practical party-government consultation meeting of the People Power Party's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee regarding fake news about the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway, held on the morning of the 6th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Minister Won raised his voice, saying, "Do not inflate suspicions by writing half-baked novels based only on guesses and circumstantial evidence. If you are confident, accuse me, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. I will cooperate with the investigation." He said, "If the investigation results show that I had any knowledge of the land owned by First Lady Kim Keon-hee there, I will stake not only my ministerial position but also my political life," and added, "However, if the investigation results prove that the Democratic Party's suspicions are groundless, the Democratic Party should take down their sign."

Earlier, the opposition, including the Democratic Party, raised suspicions that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport attempted to change the Seoul-Yangpyeong highway route to give preferential treatment to the family of First Lady Kim Keon-hee. This project, promoted by the Ministry since 2017, passed the preliminary feasibility study two years ago, and two alternative routes other than the route that passed the feasibility study considering environmental and business factors were newly proposed. The Ministry planned to finalize the route after conducting a strategic environmental impact assessment and holding resident briefings on the alternative routes. The Democratic Party pointed out that the route was suddenly changed last May and that the family of First Lady Kim owns land in Gangsaeng-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, the endpoint of the changed route.

The ruling party and government emphasized that there was no problem in the route change process that day. Kim Jeong-jae, the ruling party's secretary of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, said at a briefing after the meeting, "The Democratic Party repeatedly spreads false agitation using harsh words like highway gate and President Yoon's in-law cartel regarding the Seoul-Yangpyeong highway project. All of this is a blatant lie that deliberately ignores basic facts."

He also argued that the new route is more beneficial considering business feasibility. Kim said, "The increase in project cost due to the extension of the endpoint is only 14 billion won, which is 0.8% of the total project cost, and the actual cost-effectiveness of the alternative route is greater," adding, "The alternative route increases daily traffic volume by about 6,000 vehicles compared to the original route and absorbs about 2,100 more vehicles daily from nearby roads such as National Route 6 and Local Route 88, effectively alleviating traffic congestion. Also, the alternative route is planned to cross the Han River once, which is much more advantageous environmentally than the original route that crosses the Han River twice."

There was also an explanation that there have been precedents of route changes during the feasibility study process. Baek Won-guk, the second vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, told reporters at the National Assembly, "After the preliminary feasibility study, there is a detailed feasibility study analyzing various conditions, economic viability, and traffic demand. If a better plan emerges during that process, the route is revised based on the feasibility study results," adding, "As far as I know, representative cases include the Hamyang-Ulsan highway, Sejong-Cheongju highway, and Mokpo-Gwangyang highway."

It was also clarified that there is no preferential land price increase because the endpoint of the changed route is a junction (JCT), not an interchange (IC). Kim said, "A JCT has little impact on nearby land prices and rather imposes many restrictions on land use due to noise and exhaust," adding, "If preferential treatment had been considered during the route review process, an IC would have been installed adjacent instead of a JCT, which is something that should not and could not happen."

When asked by reporters about residents' damage, Minister Won replied, "I have only announced my position now," and said, "If additional explanations are needed in the future, I will provide them as necessary." He added, "Groups concerned about residents' damage do not recommend resignation in this manner."

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