Dangjin City Council: "Cancellation of the Second Seohae Bridge... Disappointed as We Believed It Was a Presidential Pledge"

Statement to Be Released on the 18th... "National Route 77 Undersea Tunnel Should Be Prioritized"

Commemorative photo after a meeting with civic groups for the announcement of the statement by the 2nd West Sea Bridge Special Committee of Dangjin City Council, Chungnam./Dangjin City Council

The Dangjin City Council in South Chungcheong Province issued a statement on the 18th, announcing, "The Gwangmyeong~Dangjin private expressway project, which included the Second Seohae Bridge and was promoted as a campaign pledge by President Yoon Suk-yeol, has been scrapped after failing to pass the private investment feasibility study conducted by the Korea Economic Research Institute."

The council added, "We believed and waited for this project, trusting it was a presidential pledge, but the 170,000 residents of Dangjin are now experiencing great disappointment and frustration," and strongly urged, "To alleviate citizens' disappointment, we demand an official apology and the prioritization of the National Route 77 connection project (undersea tunnel)."

The Second Seohae Bridge project was a commitment personally made by President Yoon Suk-yeol during the 2022 presidential election and was also selected as a policy task by the Presidential Transition Committee.

This project has been evaluated as essential not only for a specific region but also for the balanced development of the West Coast area, including the Chungcheong, Gyeonggi, and Honam regions.

The Dangjin City Council formed a Special Committee on the Second Seohae Bridge in both its 3rd and 4th terms, engaging in various activities such as advocating for the selection of the bridge as a presidential and provincial governor's pledge, and holding press conferences to urge exemption from the preliminary feasibility study for the prompt advancement of the project.

The Dangjin City Council stated, "The necessity of the Second Seohae Bridge has already been verified, and the project should proceed through exemption from the preliminary feasibility study and the enactment of a special law," adding, "We will continue to represent the voices of citizens to ensure the development of the West Coast area through the construction of the Second Seohae Bridge."

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