Governor Kim Dongyeon: "Prompt Advancement of Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway... Will Open the '12-Minute Era' Quickly"

Kim Dongyeon Holds 16th Livelihood Tour Meeting with Gwangju City Residents
Pushing for Official Announcement of Second Gyeonggi Urban Rail Network Plan by Year-End
Governor Kim Stresses "Promptly" Nine Times On-Site, Showing Strong Commitment to Swift Progress
Governor Kim Says, "Watching Young People Move Away Due to Traffic Issues, I Feel a Sense of Responsibility"

"I am well aware that our residents have a great deal of interest in and aspiration for the Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway project. We have been moving quickly with the Second Gyeonggi Province Urban Rail Network Construction Plan, and if everything proceeds as planned, it seems likely that we will be able to successfully complete consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport next month (December). I will do my utmost to ensure that the project progresses as planned."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dongyeon visited Gwangju City on the 10th as the 16th stop of his tour of the local economy, strongly expressing his determination to swiftly advance the 'Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway,' a major transportation innovation project in the southeastern region of Gyeonggi Province. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

On November 10, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dongyeon visited Gwangju City as the 16th stop of his livelihood economy field tour, where he strongly expressed his determination to promptly advance the Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway, a major transportation innovation project in the southeastern region of Gyeonggi Province.

Goal to Announce by the End of the Year... 'Prompt' Mentioned Nine Times

During the meeting, Governor Kim stated, "I am well aware that our residents have a great deal of interest in and aspiration for the Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway project," emphasizing that the ongoing Second Gyeonggi Province Urban Rail Network Construction Plan is proceeding smoothly.

He further highlighted the goal of an official announcement by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport within the year, saying, "If everything goes according to plan, we should be able to successfully complete consultations with the Ministry next month (December)." The province plans to complete this process about five months faster than the first plan, and after the official announcement, it intends to provide full administrative support so that subsequent procedures such as the preliminary feasibility study can proceed swiftly.

In particular, Governor Kim stressed his commitment to speedy progress by stating, "As a former Minister of Economy and Finance, I will do my best to find ways to shorten the timeline as much as possible. Gyeonggi Province and Gwangju City will work together to expedite the process." He directly mentioned terms such as "quickly" and "promptly" nine times at the site, making his determination for rapid advancement clear.

Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, is responding to a question from a resident during a meeting with residents in Gwangju City, the 16th destination of his field tour on the livelihood economy, on the 10th. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

Urgent Need to Resolve Gwangju City's Traffic Congestion... "Sense of Responsibility Watching Young People Move Away"

During the meeting, residents appealed for the necessity of the Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway project, citing severe commuting traffic problems that have led to a population decrease of several thousand people.

In response, Governor Kim expressed his empathy, saying, "I understand how serious the traffic issue must be if residents are even discussing and worrying about young people moving away. I feel the same sense of responsibility."

He continued, "Among the various rail and transportation infrastructure plans Gyeonggi Province is considering, none have received as much attention as this one. While other cities have chosen different concepts for their most desired projects, such as the Daldal Bus, Gwangju City has selected the Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway. As a former Minister of Economy and Finance, I will do my best to find ways to shorten the timeline as much as possible. Gyeonggi Province and Gwangju City will work together to expedite the process."

The Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway is a line that will connect Pangyo in Seongnam City to Opo in Gwangju City, covering a total length of 9.5 kilometers underground, with a total project cost of 945.2 billion won. This project is expected to resolve chronic traffic congestion on Local Road No. 57 (Taejae Hill) and to serve as a core initiative for shifting the southeastern Gyeonggi transportation system to a rail-based structure.

Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province (third from the left in the front row), is performing the promotion for the 'Pangyo~Opo Urban Railway' with Bang Sehyun, Mayor of Gwangju City (fourth), and other attendees on the 10th. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

9.5 km Underground Connection... Travel Time from Opo to Pangyo Expected to Be 12 Minutes

Once the Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway opens, it is expected that travel between Opo Station and Pangyo Station will take only about 12 minutes, greatly improving transportation convenience for Gwangju City residents.

Since September 2021, Gyeonggi Province has been conducting a study for the Urban Rail Network Construction Plan, resulting in the Second Gyeonggi Province Urban Rail Network Construction Plan (draft), and submitted it for approval to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in July 2024. Subsequently, the Ministry completed a review by the Urban Transportation Policy Working Committee in September 2025 and is currently proceeding with the goal of an official announcement by the end of November after review by the National Transportation Committee.

The province plans to finalize the Second Gyeonggi Province Urban Rail Network Construction Plan with an official announcement in December (public hearing began in December 2023), about five months faster than the first plan (public hearing began in December 2016, official announcement in May 2019), thanks to smooth cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dongyeon visited Gwangju on the 10th, the 16th stop of his field tour on the people's livelihood economy, to receive an explanation about the 'Pangyo-Opo Urban Railway' project, a major transportation innovation project in the southeastern region of Gyeonggi Province. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

Meanwhile, on the same day, Governor Kim Dongyeon will visit the Gyeonggi Eco-friendly Agricultural Products Distribution Center in Gonjiam-eup, Gwangju City, as his next schedule. There, he will meet with farmers producing eco-friendly school meal ingredients to discuss ways to build trust in the eco-friendly food system that connects production, distribution, and school meals. After the meeting, Governor Kim will move to the logistics center on the first floor to observe the inspection and repackaging of ingredients and participate in the selection process by region.

The Gyeonggi Eco-friendly Agricultural Products Distribution Center was built in 2012 with 48 billion won in national and provincial funds. The center has three floors above ground and one basement level, with a total area of 26,113 square meters. As the nation’s first distribution center dedicated to eco-friendly agricultural products, it is equipped with facilities for eco-friendly product distribution, including cold storage, frozen and general warehouses, a delivery and shipping area, sorting and packaging halls, a food safety center, and an education center. Currently, 262 people from 16 organizations are stationed at the center.

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