South-North 9-Axis Expressway Council Submits Petition to Ministry of Land Urging Early Construction of Yanggu?Yeongcheon Section

The South-North 9-Axis Expressway Promotion Council, chaired by Yanggu County Mayor Seo Heungwon, met directly with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on December 1 at the National Land Development Exhibition Hall in Seoul and delivered a joint petition urging the inclusion of the third expressway construction plan (2026-2030) for the South-North 9-Axis Expressway connecting Yanggu to Yeongcheon.

The South-North 9-Axis Expressway Promotion Council met directly with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 1st at the National Land Development Exhibition Hall in Seoul, delivering a joint petition urging the inclusion of the third expressway construction plan (2026?2030) for the South-North 9-Axis Expressway connecting Yanggu to Yeongcheon. Provided by Yanggu County

The meeting was attended by the heads and deputy heads of 10 cities and counties, including Yanggu, Inje, Hongcheon, Pyeongchang, Jeongseon, and Yeongwol in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, as well as Bonghwa, Yeongyang, Cheongsong, and Yeongcheon in North Gyeongsang Province. They emphasized that expanding transportation infrastructure in inland and border areas is an essential task for balanced national development, inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, and strengthening national security.

The joint petition highlighted the improvement of transportation conditions in mountainous inland regions cut off by the Baekdudaegan mountain range, the reduction of logistics costs, and the expansion of industrial and tourism infrastructure. It also emphasized that, by linking with the East-West High-Speed Railway scheduled for completion in 2029, the route would serve as a "peace axis" connecting the two Koreas and complete a major north-south arterial corridor across the nation. Furthermore, the council argued that the South-North 9-Axis Expressway should be evaluated not only based on economic indicators but also by comprehensively considering its impact on border security, balanced development, and inter-Korean exchange and cooperation.

This petition delivery follows the adoption of a joint resolution by the 10 cities and counties at the "Regular General Meeting and Resolution Rally for the Early Construction of the South-North 9-Axis Expressway" held at the Yanggu County Lifelong Learning Center on November 10. It marks a significant step in directly connecting the public opinion the council has accumulated-through proposals to central government agencies and the National Assembly, efforts to include the project in national policy agendas, nationwide petitions and signature campaigns, media outreach and campaigns, and mascot relay performances-to government policy in earnest.

The council stated, "We hope that today’s petition, which reflects the long-held wishes of residents from the 10 cities and counties, will serve as the starting point for opening a new main artery for peace and prosperity across the nation." The council plans to continue close consultations with the central government to ensure the inclusion of the third expressway construction plan and the swift implementation of subsequent projects.

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