O Se-hoon - Kim Mi-kyung Eunpyeong District Mayor Re-pushes Northwest Extension of Shinbundang Line

Mayor Oh Se-hoon

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Eunpyeong District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung drew attention by pledging to continue the Shinbundang Line northwest extension project without interruption after it failed to pass the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

On the 24th, Mayor Oh posted on his Facebook, "We will push forward the Shinbundang Line northwest extension without interruption."

He expressed deep regret that the Shinbundang Line northwest extension project, a long-cherished project of Seoul City and a hope of northwest residents, did not pass the Ministry of Economy and Finance's preliminary feasibility study. However, he emphasized that this is neither a failure nor a setback. To improve transportation convenience for northwest Seoul citizens, including Eunpyeong New Town, Seoul City will continue to push forward the Shinbundang Line northwest extension project without interruption.

The city stated that it will also review alternative routes to enhance the project's economic feasibility, pledging to consolidate Seoul's metropolitan transportation policy expertise and work closely with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and local authorities to satisfy both citizens' demands and project feasibility.

Eunpyeong District (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) also released a press statement on the 23rd explaining the situation regarding the Shinbundang Line northwest extension project. The district stated that to respond to the rapidly increasing transportation demand due to new town developments in northwest Seoul and Gyeonggi Province and large-scale housing developments, the project was included in the 3rd National Railroad Network Construction Plan in 2016. From 2018, during the preliminary feasibility study mid-term review meetings by the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the project was judged to lack economic feasibility. Seoul City then submitted a route re-planning proposal at the end of 2021 and proceeded with the preliminary feasibility study. Additionally, the district has consistently voiced residents' hopes through measures such as ▲ reflecting new transportation demands from the National Korean Literature Museum, Art Village, Seoul Innovation Park, and Changneung New Town ▲ delivering a petition signed by 300,000 residents to relevant agencies (Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Seoul City) ▲ holding residents' rallies urging early construction ▲ and meeting with ministers of relevant agencies.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District

In particular, the National Korean Literature Museum, a national project, is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors annually. With large facilities such as the Art Village, International Ice Rink, and Securities Museum planned nearby, there has been an assessment that the Shinbundang Line northwest extension project is necessary.

This route is a representative pledge of the President and the Seoul Mayor for northwest Seoul. Residents, who have long awaited the resolution of this regional long-standing issue to promote balanced development between Gangnam and Gangbuk through transportation infrastructure expansion, especially the residents of Eunpyeong New Town who have endured prolonged transportation inconveniences, cannot hide their great disappointment and frustration.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District, said, "Eunpyeong residents have endured chronic congestion on Tongil-ro and waited for over 10 years in hopeful anticipation. Despite major projects such as the National Korean Literature Museum, scheduled for completion in 2026, and the development of Seoul Innovation Park site, we deeply regret the preliminary feasibility study results, which were mired in economic feasibility logic." She added, "We will work closely with Seoul City to prepare new alternatives to improve transportation convenience for northwest residents."

Attention is focused on whether Mayor Oh and Mayor Kim will join hands to push forward and succeed in the Shinbundang Line northwest extension project.

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