"Gimpo's Fate Hinges on Line 5"... Mayor Kim Byungsoo Makes Direct Appeal at KDI

Kim Byungsoo, Mayor of Gimpo City, directly presented the necessity and policy effects of the Seoul Subway Line 5 Gimpo-Gemdan Extension at the Subcommittee on Financial Project Evaluation of the Ministry of Planning and Budget on March 5, 2026.

Kim Byungsoo, Mayor of Gimpo City, gave a presentation on the necessity and policy effects of extending Seoul Subway Line 5 to Gimpo Geomdan during the Financial Project Evaluation Subcommittee meeting of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance on the 5th. Provided by Gimpo City

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The meeting, held at the Korea Development Institute (KDI) in Sejong City and hosted by the Ministry of Planning and Budget, was convened to deliberate and decide on core issues to enhance the transparency and efficiency of national fiscal projects, including the selection of projects subject to preliminary feasibility studies and the results of those studies.

At the meeting, Mayor Kim highlighted the severe traffic conditions in Gimpo City, including congestion on the Gold Line, as well as the difficulties faced by citizens. He also emphasized the earnest aspirations of Gimpo citizens, as demonstrated through recent National Assembly petitions, stressing that policy considerations should take precedence in the decision-making process for the Line 5 extension project.

Leading up to the presentation on Line 5 at the meeting, the city made every effort to pass the preliminary feasibility study, conducting more than 30 meetings and working-level consultations with relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Metropolitan Transport Commission), the Ministry of Planning and Budget, KDI, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, since the start of the KDI preliminary study. Furthermore, on February 2, Mayor Kim announced Gimpo City's strong commitment to the project by proposing that the city would bear KRW 550 billion of the project costs.

In particular, during the preliminary feasibility study, the city held multiple meetings with the Ministry of Planning and Budget and KDI to address concerns over a lack of economic feasibility and limited benefits, refining the project plan. The city also meticulously prepared a response strategy centered on a comprehensive evaluation (AHP) that would incorporate policy effects and regional balanced development by addressing congestion relief on the Gimpo Gold Line, metropolitan transportation improvements for the Gimpo Hangang 2 public housing district, and applying non-capital region evaluation criteria due to the border area status.

Through this meeting, the city expects a positive outcome. If the Seoul Subway Line 5 Gimpo-Gemdan Extension project is completed, it will not only resolve the chronic congestion on the Gimpo Gold Line-which currently exceeds 200% capacity-but also enable direct travel to downtown Seoul without transfers, serving as a major turning point for Gimpo's rail transportation system.

Mayor Kim stated, "Carrying the hopes of 520,000 Gimpo citizens on my shoulders and with the petition signed by 50,000 citizens by my side, I will do my utmost until the very end," adding, "The Seoul Subway Line 5 Gimpo-Gemdan Extension is a project that unites the aspirations of all Gimpo citizens. If the preliminary feasibility study is passed, we will focus all administrative resources to ensure swift and seamless progress of the project."

Meanwhile, the Seoul Subway Line 5 Gimpo-Gemdan Extension project aims to extend the line from the Banghwa Vehicle Depot in Seoul through Gochon and Pungmu in Gimpo and Geomdan, reaching the Gimpo Hangang 2 public housing district. The project will cover a total length of 25.8 km, with nine stations and one vehicle depot, at a total estimated cost of KRW 3.6221 trillion.

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