Gangwon Province Strongly Urges Approval of Preliminary Feasibility Study for Yongmun-Hongcheon Metropolitan Railway Project

MOEF SOC Subcommittee to Hear Direct Appeal from Governor Kim
32.7 km Single-Track from Yongmun, Gyeonggi to Hongcheon, Gangwon... Hongcheon to Cheongnyangni in About One Hour

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) has strongly urged the approval of the preliminary feasibility study for the Yongmun-Hongcheon metropolitan railway construction project, as the Ministry of Economy and Finance's SOC Subcommittee is scheduled to convene on December 16.

Exterior view of Gangwon Provincial Government Building. Provided by Gangwon Provincial Government

The Yongmun-Hongcheon metropolitan railway project involves constructing a 32.7-kilometer single-track railway connecting Yongmun in Gyeonggi Province and Hongcheon in Gangwon Province, with a total project cost of 844.2 billion won.

This project was selected as a target for a preliminary feasibility study in January 2024, and the study has been underway for 23 months since February 2024.

Once the railway opens, Hongcheon and Cheongnyangni will be connected within one hour, dramatically improving access to the Seoul metropolitan area. In addition, transportation welfare in Hongcheon County, which previously had no railway, will be enhanced, and the connection of the metropolitan transportation network is expected to promote balanced regional development.

During this process, the province has worked closely with relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Korea Development Institute (KDI), focusing on explaining the need to address railway underdevelopment in Gangwon Province, the effect of completing the northeastern metropolitan transportation network, and the potential military impact.

Furthermore, as the project has been a long-standing aspiration of local residents, the province has worked to secure national funding for an early start of construction in 2026. As a result, 500 million won in national funding was ultimately allocated.

Recently, the province has concentrated all administrative resources on increasing the likelihood of passing the preliminary feasibility study by supplementing economic indicators, strengthening policy and balanced development evaluation logic, and reanalyzing transportation demand.

Governor Kim Jin-tae stated, "I believe the decision on the Yongmun-Hongcheon railway project will be made within this year, whether I am awake or asleep," adding, "I plan to attend the Ministry of Economy and Finance's SOC Subcommittee meeting next week in person to convey both the necessity of the project and the aspirations of local residents."

Meanwhile, Governor Kim Jin-tae plans to actively respond at the subcommittee meeting to ensure the project passes the preliminary feasibility study, and the Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee is expected to be held at the end of December.

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