Won Hee-ryong Refutes Allegations: "No Changes to Yangpyeong Expressway Under Yoon Administration"

Upload a 26-minute video on YouTube

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, refuted allegations of 'preferential treatment for Kim Geon-hee's family' surrounding the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway project on his YouTube channel.

In a video about 26 minutes long posted on his YouTube channel on the afternoon of the 12th, Minister Won stated regarding the change of the expressway terminus from Yangseo-myeon to Gangsaeng-myeon (alternative route) in Yangpyeong-gun after passing the preliminary feasibility study (PFS), "We did not change anything at all."

Minister Won said that in May 2021, Jeong Dong-gyun, then mayor of Yangpyeong-gun from the Democratic Party, and Choi Jae-gwan, Democratic Party Yangpyeong regional chairman, also requested the installation of Gangha IC (interchange) by changing the original plan, and that the majority of Yangpyeong residents supported installing Gangha IC and making Gangsaeng-myeon the terminus.

Minister Won said, "The Democratic Party mayor of Yangpyeong claims that the alternative was not discussed, but a route similar to the alternative has existed since the private investment project was promoted," adding, "This was all included in the Daewoo Construction design in 2018." He continued, "Since then, the route now called the alternative has been listed in real estate agencies in Yangpyeong, and most real estate experts and county office officials in Yangpyeong were aware of this."

Regarding why this alternative was not mentioned during the PFS, he explained, "Because the private investment project was canceled and the government planned to invest public funds, the plan with the least financial burden at that time was proposed and passed," adding, "So until the PFS was approved, it was not discussed, and after the PFS passed, the request to install Gangha IC came up."

Contrary to the Democratic Party's claims, he explained that cases of changing start and end points after the PFS are not uncommon. Minister Won said, "In the past 20 years, half of the projects have changed their start and end points during the main feasibility study after the PFS," and added, "Asking why the PFS plan was changed shows a lack of understanding of the road project process or is merely a frame to accuse 'preferential treatment'."

Regarding the resumption of the project, he stated, "As long as the Democratic Party's political attacks continue, the budget cannot be allocated, and the best route for residents and the future cannot be decided," adding, "If that's the case, I would rather postpone it for four years or wait until the people clearly judge the Democratic Party's political attacks before proceeding. That is my position."

At the end of the video, Minister Won said, "I believe it is time for the people to put an end to political attacks based on false agitation for South Korea to return to normalcy."

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