Seongbuk-gu Delivers Petition Expressing Hope for 'Gangbuk Transversal Line Re-promotion' to Seoul Metropolitan Council

260,000 Residents Sign Petition, Meet with Seoul City Council Chairman Choi Hojung
"Please Join Forces to Make the Gangbuk Transversal Line a Reality"

Seongbuk-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) announced on the 4th that it has delivered a petition containing the passionate desire of Seongbuk residents for the swift resumption of the suspended Gangbuk Transversal Line to the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Seung-ro Lee, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu (right), is handing over the signed document to Ho-jeong Choi, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (left). Provided by Seongbuk-gu.

On the 3rd, Mayor Lee Seung-ro of Seongbuk-gu, along with resident representatives, university representatives, and local city and district council members, met with Choi Ho-jung, chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, to request the council’s interest and cooperation in the swift resumption of the Gangbuk Transversal Line.

The resident delegation stated, “Almost all Seongbuk residents, except children, participated in the petition with an urgent desire to solve local transportation issues and achieve balanced development,” and Chairman Choi Ho-jung responded, “The Seoul Metropolitan Council will work together to address the urgent needs of Seongbuk residents.”

Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, “More than 260,000 residents, accounting for over 60% of Seongbuk-gu’s population, participated in the petition within a short period, demonstrating the residents’ urgent desire and strong will to solve transportation problems that directly affect their daily lives and to promote balanced regional development,” adding, “Please gather interest and support so that the Gangbuk Transversal Line can be realized for the future of Seongbuk-gu.”

Previously, the district conducted a “District-wide Petition Campaign to Urge the Swift Resumption of the Gangbuk Transversal Line” from October 18 last year for one month, aiming for 100,000 signatures. However, within less than a month, 260,000 residents, or 61.5% of the 430,000 Seongbuk residents, participated. The district also delivered the petition to the National Assembly.

Seongbuk-gu holds the position that the Gangbuk Transversal Line is an essential project for improving transportation conditions and achieving balanced regional development between the northeastern and southwestern parts of Seoul. The line, spanning 25.72 km and passing through seven autonomous districts including Cheongnyangni, Jongam, Gireum, Jeongneung, and Mok-dong, was planned as a Seoul city-funded project worth 2 trillion won. It is expected to reduce travel times by 30%, such as 9 minutes to Cheongnyangni and 30 minutes to Mok-dong from Jeongneung in Seongbuk-gu, and to have significant ripple effects by connecting with four lines: Jeongneung Station (Ui-Sinseol Line), Gireum Station (Line 4), Jongam Station (Dongbuk Line), and Wolgok Station (Line 6).

However, due to the nature of the route passing through mountainous areas, which requires relatively high costs while demand is predicted to be low, the project failed to pass the preliminary feasibility study review by the Ministry of Economy and Finance in June.

The district plans to deliver the petition urging the resumption of the Gangbuk Transversal Line to various cooperating institutions and to focus administrative efforts on the swift promotion of the project.

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