Uijeongbu City Ushers in GTX-C Era: "20 Minutes to Samseong Station"... Rising as Northern Gyeonggi's Economic Hub

City Aims for Urban Restructuring Beyond a ‘Transportation Hub’
Spatial Innovation, Transfer Systems, and Commercial Districts Linked
Full-scale Push to Create a City that Attracts and Retains Visitors

Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province is set to redraw its urban landscape, beginning with the groundbreaking of the Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX)-C Line. The city aims to go beyond simply expanding its transportation network for faster access to Seoul, aspiring to transform the area around Uijeongbu Station into a new hub city for northern Gyeonggi, integrating commerce, business, and logistics.

Kim Donggeun, Mayor of Uijeongbu City, is conducting an on-site inspection of the planned site for the metropolitan area express train (GTX)-C Uijeongbu Station project around Uijeongbu Station on the 8th. Provided by Uijeongbu City

On April 8, Uijeongbu City conducted an on-site inspection of the planned site for the GTX-C Uijeongbu Station project, signaling the start of a major urban restructuring. Construction preparations for the GTX-C line, such as relocating obstacles, will begin in earnest at the end of April. This core metropolitan transportation network will connect Deokjeong in Yangju with Suwon.

Starting from Exit 7 of Uijeongbu Station, city officials checked the planned sites for the southern entrance and the escalator installation in front of Exit 1, inspecting the project section, pedestrian pathways, and transfer systems.

The GTX-C line, which will connect Deokjeong in Yangju to Suwon, is a key metropolitan transportation network. Once operational, it is expected to significantly reduce travel time from Uijeongbu to major districts in Seoul. In particular, travel to Chang-dong Station will take about five minutes, and to Samseong Station about twenty minutes, bringing changes not only to living and economic spheres but also to overall population movement throughout the city.

Furthermore, if Subway Line 8 is connected to Uijeongbu Station in the future, the station is expected to become a major transportation hub in northern Gyeonggi, where six lines intersect.

The city has embraced these changes as an opportunity for urban restructuring, pursuing improvements in both transportation infrastructure and the city's functional and spatial layout.

Kim Donggeun, mayor of Uijeongbu, is conducting an on-site inspection of the planned site for the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Train (GTX)-C Uijeongbu Station project around Uijeongbu Station on the 8th. Provided by Uijeongbu City

First, in July 2024, the area around Uijeongbu Station was selected as a candidate site for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "Leading Spatial Innovation Project," laying the foundation for urban space restructuring. In 2025, the city was also selected for the "Integrated Transfer Center Consulting Support Project," initiating plans to develop an integrated transfer system linking the GTX, railways, buses, and pedestrian facilities.

That same year, Uijeongbu was chosen for the "Gyeonggi Traditional Market Innovation Model Project," a program with a total project cost of 9.4 billion won, thereby securing conditions to strengthen the core commercial district, such as the creation of a specialized street on Haengbok-ro.

These initiatives are not separate projects, but rather strategic efforts to restructure urban space, transportation systems, and downtown functions in line with the introduction of the GTX. Through this, the city plans to develop the area around Uijeongbu Station into a high-density, mixed-use zone combining commercial, business, and residential functions.

The integrated transfer center will connect the GTX, existing railways, buses, and pedestrian flows to improve mobility and disperse the floating population throughout the downtown area. The project to create a specialized street on Haengbok-ro will supplement the core commercial district, providing an environment where visitors can both stay and consume.

While improvements to the transportation network brought by the GTX present a key opportunity for urban development, inadequate responses could lead to the outflow of population and consumption. To address this, the city plans to link transportation, space, and commercial districts to create a "city that attracts and retains visitors," aiming to establish a virtuous cycle of local consumption and activity.

Kim Donggeun, Mayor of Uijeongbu City, is conducting an on-site inspection of the planned site for the Metropolitan Area Express Train (GTX)-C Uijeongbu Station project around Uijeongbu Station on the 8th. Provided by Uijeongbu City

An official from Uijeongbu City stated, "The groundbreaking of the GTX-C line is not only the realization of a project that has long captured the attention of our citizens, but also marks the beginning of a significant transformation of Uijeongbu's urban structure," adding, "We will strengthen the city's functions by linking spatial innovation, transfer system development, and restructuring of core functions."

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