Gangwon Province Holds National Assembly Forum: "When the Road Opens, South Korea Grows"

Discussion on the Necessity of Investment in Road Infrastructure, Including the 3rd Expressway and 6th National Road and Local Road Construction Plans
National Assembly, Government, Media, and Academia Gather Together
Road Vision Forum Held to Prepare for the Future

Kwangrae Kim, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, held a current issues discussion forum with National Assembly members Kiho Han and Kiheon Song under the theme "When the Road Opens, South Korea Grows!" The forum took place at 2 p.m. on September 18 at the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Together with officials from government ministries, they discussed key regional issues related to road SOC, including the necessity of the Pocheon-Cheorwon, Sokcho-Goseong, and Yeongwol-Yanggu sections of the South-North Axis.

Kangwon Special Self-Governing Province Deputy Governor Kim Kwangrae is taking a commemorative photo after holding a current issues forum titled "When the Road Opens, South Korea Grows!" together with National Assembly members Han Kiho and Song Kiheon. Provided by Kangwon Special Self-Governing Province

Deputy Governor Kim stated, "2025 marks the first year of transformation for Gangwon Province's road infrastructure," explaining that major road SOC projects such as the Yeongwol-Samcheok Expressway passing the preliminary feasibility study, the selection of the Pocheon-Cheorwon Expressway for a preliminary feasibility study, and the completion of the re-examination of the Second Gyeongchun National Road project plan have all entered full-scale implementation this year. He expressed his gratitude to members of the National Assembly and government officials for their support.

He further emphasized that these road projects are not merely construction works, but solid investments that will unlock the region's potential and serve as a catalyst to prevent regional extinction. He pointed out that Gangwon Province has long lagged behind in large-scale SOC project support due to various regulations, such as being a border area, a former mining region, and a designated water source protection zone due to dams. He requested that this forum serve as a practical foundation for expanding road infrastructure investment and accelerating the establishment of Gangwon's road network.

The forum began with presentations by Dr. Geunyong Um of the Korea Institute of Construction Industry on "Recovery of the Construction Industry and Revitalization of Domestic Demand," and Dr. Jonghun Lee of the Korea Transport Institute on "Road Infrastructure Investment for the Future," followed by a policy discussion.

The discussion was chaired by Professor Sangho Choo of Hongik University and featured participation from central government officials and experts, including Yongho Choi, Director of the Land and Transport Budget Division at the Ministry of Economy and Finance; Gidae Kim, Director of the Road Policy Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Jonggu Lee, Director of the Construction and Transportation Bureau of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province; Eungcheol Kim, Dean of the College of Urban Sciences at Incheon National University; and Kwanghyun Jin, Head of the Policy Headquarters at the Construction Association of Korea. They engaged in an in-depth discussion on strategies for road infrastructure investment.

In his welcoming remarks, Assemblyman Kiho Han stated, "Today's gathering goes beyond simple road expansion or budget issues. It is an attempt to find solutions to the crisis of regional extinction and the concentration of the capital area through 'roads,' and a meaningful occasion to reaffirm the necessity of establishing the Gangwon era in the capital region as soon as possible."

Assemblyman Kiheon Song added, "I hope this forum serves as a valuable opportunity to propose new directions for road policy, and that the collective wisdom gathered here will provide a solid foundation for expanding road infrastructure investment, achieving balanced regional development, and strengthening national competitiveness."

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