Gwangju City to Include Honam Expressway Expansion Project in Supplementary Budget

Mayor Kang Gijeong Gathers Public Opinion Through Online and Offline Debate
Majority Support for Easing Traffic Congestion and Strengthening Regional Connectivity

Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong is attending and sharing opinions at the citizens' debate titled "Listening to the Opinions of Gwangju Citizens on the Honam Expressway Expansion Project," held on the afternoon of the 1st at the Geosigi Hall of Gwangju Biennale in Buk-gu. Photo by Gwangju City

The Gwangju City Government has decided to resolve the controversy surrounding the Honam Expressway expansion project and to include the project in the supplementary budget in accordance with the will of its citizens.

On July 1, Gwangju City held a debate titled "Listening to the Opinions of Gwangju Citizens on the Honam Expressway Expansion Project" at the Geosigi Hall of the Gwangju Biennale, gathering a wide range of opinions from citizens.

Approximately 300 people attended the debate, including Mayor Kang Gijeong, citizens, Gwangju City Council members An Pyunghwan, Jeong Daeun, Jo Seokho, Choi Jihyun, and Chae Eunji, district council members, experts, local businesspeople, and university representatives. The event was broadcast live through the city's official YouTube channel "Hello Gwangju," facilitating active discussions both online and offline.

The debate was organized to reflect the diverse perspectives within the local community regarding the Honam Expressway expansion project and to incorporate citizens' opinions into policy decisions.

Following an explanation of the project's current status, the debate was moderated directly by Mayor Kang, allowing participants to freely express their opinions without restrictions on speakers or time. Attendees engaged in heated discussions from both supporting and opposing positions, presenting a variety of viewpoints.

Supporters of the project argued that the Honam Expressway expansion has long been a wish of local residents, emphasizing the need to resolve traffic congestion, improve logistics efficiency, and strengthen connectivity between regions. Opponents raised concerns about the excessive financial burden on Gwangju City, the potential for environmental damage, and the need for a cautious approach to urban expansion.

One participant stated, "The project cost will increase once construction begins, and there will be inconveniences for citizens and damage to buffer green spaces. I question whether it is necessary to expand the road immediately. Currently, Gwangju City has issued a significant amount of local bonds for park projects to prevent haphazard development and for the construction of Subway Line 2. Other projects that are more urgently needed may lose their budgets."

Another participant commented, "Since this is an expressway, Gwangju City, the city council, the National Assembly, and citizens should unite and urge the government to secure more national funding. The Honam Expressway expansion project is an urgent need that residents have been demanding for a long time."

After all participants had spoken, Mayor Kang stated, "While there are concerns about the financial burden on Gwangju City, most opinions expressed at the debate were in favor of starting construction quickly to resolve traffic congestion. We will proceed with the project according to the will of the citizens, while also preparing strategic measures to minimize the city's financial burden. Since construction will cause significant inconvenience for at least five years, we ask for the understanding of all citizens."

Gwangju City plans to cooperate with the National Assembly to ensure that the budget for the Honam Expressway expansion project (KRW 36.7 billion) is not reduced in the government's supplementary budget proposal, and to include the project's budget (KRW 40 billion) in the city's own supplementary budget.

The Honam Expressway expansion project involves widening the 11.2-kilometer section from Donggwangju IC to Gwangsan IC from four lanes to six or eight lanes, with a total project cost of approximately KRW 800 billion. In 2015, Gwangju City and Korea Expressway Corporation agreed to share the construction costs equally, requiring Gwangju City to shoulder about KRW 400 billion.

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