Gangdong-gu Secures 3 Billion KRW City Budget for Escalator Installation at Gil-dong Station on Line 5

Gangdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) announced on the 19th that it has secured 3 billion KRW in the 2025 fiscal year Seoul city budget for land compensation and construction costs related to the long-awaited project by Gil-dong residents to install an escalator at Exit 2 of Gil-dong Station on Subway Line 5.

Mayor Lee Soo-hee stated, “Gil-dong Station on Subway Line 5 lacks an escalator connecting the underground first-floor concourse to the ground-level exit, causing serious inconvenience for transportation-vulnerable groups such as the disabled, pregnant women, and the elderly,” adding, “I am grateful to the Seoul city council members representing Gangdong-gu who have worked tirelessly to secure this essential budget to alleviate residents’ inconveniences.”

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Gangdong District Mayor Lee Soo-hee (right in the photo) conducted an on-site inspection at Gildong Station last July. Provided by Gangdong District.

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The district has actively expressed the necessity of installing escalators to related organizations such as Seoul City and Seoul Metro. In July last year, Mayor Lee Soo-hee personally explained the need for passenger convenience facilities at Gil-dong Station to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon during a site visit and emphasized the urgency of the project, requesting active support from Seoul City.

Thanks to these efforts, the ‘Escalator Installation Project at Exit 2 of Gil-dong Station’ passed the Seoul City Investment Review Committee in October last year, underwent administrative procedures such as urban planning facility changes and underground safety evaluations, and received Seoul City’s implementation plan approval last October, putting the installation project on track.

Since the budget for land acquisition and compensation for private land is essential for escalator installation, the district has devoted efforts to securing funds, including submitting budget requests to the Seoul Metropolitan Council. As a result, an additional 3 billion KRW was allocated in the 2025 Seoul city main budget, securing momentum for project advancement.

Accordingly, the district plans to begin full-scale land acquisition and compensation procedures with Seoul City starting January next year. The goal is to complete land compensation within the year and commence construction in 2026.

The district will continue close communication with related organizations to secure the remaining project budget and actively cooperate with administrative tasks such as land compensation to ensure stable project progress.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Seoul city main budget includes 3 billion KRW for the Gil-dong Station escalator installation project, 600 million KRW for replacing the old escalator at Exit 4 of Amsa Station, and 40 million KRW each for basic feasibility studies on escalator installations at Exit 2 of Gangdong-gu Office Station and Exit 3 of Dunchon-dong Station, accelerating the installation of passenger convenience facilities to improve subway usage convenience for residents in 2025.

Mayor Lee Soo-hee said, “We are committed to improving passenger convenience facilities at subway stations within the district, including Gil-dong Station, and are carefully overseeing the escalator installation works,” adding, “The new Exit 8 at Godeok Station as part of the Phase 4 extension of Line 9, as well as improvements to Exits 5 and 6, are being promoted with maximum reflection of residents’ opinions. We will spare no administrative effort to enhance public transportation convenience for our residents.”

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