Mayor Byungsun Lee Urges National Assembly to Support Resolution of Key Issues Shaping Sokcho’s Future

Byungsun Lee, Mayor of Sokcho, Visits the National Assembly
Requests Support for "Three Key Issues Shaping Future Growth"
Full Commitment to East-West High-Speed Railway and Peace Economy Special Zone

Byungsun Lee, Mayor of Sokcho, has reached out to the National Assembly to request support in resolving key issues that will shape the city's future development.

On July 15, Mayor Lee visited the office of National Assemblyman Yangsoo Lee to explain three major issues determining Sokcho’s future: the timely opening of the Chuncheon–Sokcho East-West High-Speed Railway, designation as a Peace Economy Special Zone, and the lifting of height restrictions in the Jangsa and Yeongnang areas. He called for proactive cooperation from the Assembly.

Mayor Lee Byung-sun visited the office of Congressman Lee Yang-su on the 15th to explain three major issues that will determine the future development of Sokcho: the timely opening of the Chuncheon-Sokcho East-West high-speed railway, designation of the Peace Economy Special Zone, and lifting of height restrictions in the Jangsa and Yeongrang areas. Provided by Sokcho City

The most urgent issue identified was the smooth and timely opening of the East-West High-Speed Railway.

The Chuncheon–Sokcho East-West High-Speed Railway is a national rail project stretching 93.7 km and designed for speeds up to 250 km/h. It is a cornerstone project set to transform transportation in northern Gangwon Province. The initial project budget of 2.284 trillion won has increased to 3.0985 trillion won, and, due to administrative delays, the target opening date is expected to be pushed from 2027 to 2029.

Sokcho City estimates that for the project to proceed steadily, it will require a stable allocation of national funds: 400 billion won in 2027, 811.5 billion won in 2028, and 811.6 billion won from 2029 onward.

Mayor Lee emphasized, "The East-West High-Speed Railway is not just a transport network connecting the Seoul metropolitan area and northern Gangwon, but a key foundation to drive regional economic and tourism industry growth. It is essential that the required national funds are reliably included so the project can open on schedule."

He also requested support from the National Assembly to ensure Sokcho City is included in the government’s first-phase plan to create Peace Economy Special Zones.

Sokcho City’s plan is to establish a specialized district by designating the area of Sokcho Port and its 1.09 km² hinterland as a special zone that combines marine tourism and logistics functions. The city also aims to build the Sokcho–Wonsan Peace Maritime Route and develop a new northern economic and logistics cooperation platform.

Sokcho has already served as a hub for inter-Korean exchange, previously operating the Sokcho Port–Jangjeon Port Geumgangsan Maritime Tourism route and acting as a gathering point for separated family reunions. With Sokcho Port, which has both international passenger and cruise terminals, as well as the East-West High-Speed Railway, the East Coast North Line, and Yangyang International Airport, the city is uniquely positioned for establishing an integrated land, sea, and air transportation network.

Mayor Lee said, "Sokcho is the city best equipped to realize the government’s model of peace-driven marine economic cooperation for the east coast. With the existing infrastructure in ports and tourism, swift progress is possible should inter-Korean relations improve."

Lastly, cooperation was requested to resolve the issue of lifting height restrictions in the Jangsa and Yeongnang areas.

For many years, these regions have suffered inconvenience due to development restrictions and limitations on property rights imposed by military facilities. Sokcho City is working closely with the local National Assembly representative, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, the Ministry of National Defense, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, and local residents to speed up the removal of these restrictions.

Mayor Byungsun Lee stated, "The timely opening of the East-West High-Speed Railway, designation as a Peace Economy Special Zone, and removal of height restrictions in the Jangsa and Yeongnang areas are the most critical tasks for securing Sokcho's future growth and achieving balanced national development. We will continue to work closely with the National Assembly and do our utmost to fulfill the long-awaited aspirations of Sokcho’s citizens as soon as possible."

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