Will the 80km of Abandoned Railways in Gyeongju Be Put to Use? Democratic Party Submits "Promotion Act" to National Assembly

Gyeongju Democratic Party Committee: "The Bill Reflects the Strong Will of the Citizens"
If Passed, Permanent Facilities and Long-Term Use of Up to 20 Years Will Be Permitted

The Gyeongju City Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea (Chairman Han Youngtae) announced that, together with Assembly members Lim Mi-ae and Song Ki-heon, it held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 11th following the submission of the “Act on the Promotion of Utilization of Abandoned Railways and Idle Railway Land” and the amendment to the “Special Cases Restriction Act on State-Owned Property.”

This aims to establish a legal foundation for converting abandoned railway land across the country, which has been left unused due to restrictions under the State-Owned Property Act, into assets for urban regeneration.

Han Youngtae, Chairman of the Gyeongju City Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 11th, requesting cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties to expedite the review and passage of related bills. Provided by the Democratic Party of Korea Gyeongju City Committee

Since the closure of sections of the Donghae Nambu Line and Jungang Line in December 2021, 80 kilometers of abandoned railway running through downtown Gyeongju and 17 closed stations have remained neglected for four years.

The Gyeongju City Committee pointed out that these sites have been the main causes of safety concerns for residents, damage to the urban landscape, and delays in local development. However, due to current regulations under the State-Owned Property Act, local governments have been unable to actively utilize them.

The core of the newly proposed bills is to significantly ease regulations so that local governments can make use of abandoned railway land.

Han Youngtae, Chairman of the Gyeongju City Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 11th, requesting cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties to expedite the review and passage of related bills. Provided by the Democratic Party of Korea Gyeongju City Committee

According to the bills, if the head of a local government establishes a utilization project plan and obtains approval from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, it will be possible to install permanent facilities on abandoned railway land, and long-term leases or use will be permitted for up to 20 years.

This goes beyond the existing regulations on managing state-owned property and paves the way for using the land for urban regeneration projects such as parks and cultural facilities.

The submission of these bills reflects the strong will of the citizens.

Since October, the Gyeongju City Committee has conducted a petition campaign with the participation of 1,270 citizens and, on November 24, called for legal and financial support during a meeting at the National Assembly.

Han Youngtae, Chairman of the Gyeongju City Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, “Abandoned railway land across the country is no longer a wasted space, but a new asset for revitalizing the local economy,” and added, “I hope that the prompt review and passage of these two bills will serve as an important opportunity to promote balanced regional development.”

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