Goyang Mayoral Candidate Min Kyungsun Strongly Urges Approval of Incheon Line 2 Ilsan Extension Feasibility Study

On May 20, more than 30 candidates from the Democratic Party of Korea—including those running for local government heads and metropolitan and basic council positions in the Goyang, Gimpo, and Geomdan regions for the 9th nationwide local elections—held a joint press conference at the Pine Star 1 building near Geolpo Station. They strongly urged the prompt approval of the preliminary feasibility study and the commencement of construction for the "Incheon Subway Line 2 extension route from Geomdan to Gimpo and Goyang."

Candidate Min Kyung-sun held a joint press conference on the 20th at Fine Star 1 near Geolpo Station, strongly urging the prompt approval of the preliminary feasibility study and the commencement of construction for the "Incheon Subway Line 2 extension from Geomdan to Gimpo and Goyang" project. Photo provided by Candidate Min Kyung-sun

Min Kyung-sun, the Goyang mayoral candidate who attended the event, stated in the press release, "The announcement of the preliminary feasibility study results for the 'Incheon Line 2 extension project,' which is essential for the dramatic expansion of transportation networks and balanced development in the northwestern metropolitan area, is being delayed beyond initial expectations. As a result, the concerns and anxieties of the 2 million residents in the northwestern metropolitan region who are hoping for the swift progress of this project have reached a peak."

Candidate Min particularly pointed out, "Although the northwestern metropolitan area—including Incheon Geomdan, Gimpo in Gyeonggi Province, and Goyang—constitutes a single, tightly integrated living sphere where commuting, education, and medical services are shared, residents continue to face severe inconvenience. This is due to the burden of tolls on the Ilsan Bridge, which is the only paid bridge over the Han River, and the chronic lack of public transportation infrastructure, forcing them to make detours every day."

He went on to add, "Currently, there is no central axis organically connecting the various lines dispersed across each city, such as GTX-A, Seoul Subway Line 3, Gyeongui-Jungang Line, Incheon Line 2, and the Gimpo Gold Line. The Incheon Line 2 extension project is the key final piece that will connect the fragmented rail networks from north to south and maximize transfer convenience for the entire western region."

Once this route is completed, it is expected that accessibility to Gangnam will be dramatically improved through linkage with GTX-A Kintex Station, and the congestion on the Gimpo Gold Line will also be greatly alleviated.

Candidate Min also strongly criticized the government's "mechanical economic feasibility (BC) logic." He stated, "Residents who moved in, trusting the government's housing policies and new town announcements, are now forced to endure daily sacrifices in crowded subway trains and congested roads instead of enjoying the promised 'proximity between workplace and residence.' The cost of following government policy should not result in the pain and alienation caused by narrowly applied economic feasibility standards."

Meanwhile, all the candidates who attended the press conference collectively called on the government and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to: ▲ ensure that the Ministry of Economy and Finance goes beyond simple cost-benefit (B/C) analysis and comprehensively considers policy necessity and the need to resolve transportation difficulties, thus ensuring the preliminary feasibility study for the Incheon Line 2 extension project is approved; ▲ urge the government to demonstrate a genuine commitment to guaranteeing basic transportation rights as a form of 'special compensation' for the long-standing suffering endured by the northwestern region due to its border location and the presence of landfill sites.

Finally, they declared, "All Democratic Party of Korea candidates gathered here today will form a strong 'one team' and do their utmost, together with local residents, to ensure this extension route swiftly passes the preliminary feasibility study and proceeds to full-scale construction. We will deliver a joint letter of endorsement from all candidates to the Minister of Economy and Finance," expressing their firm determination.

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