Mid- to Long-term Investments in Roads, Railways, and Airports to Focus on Regional Areas [Policy Briefing]

Ministry of Land Reports to the President
Major Regional Investments Expected in Transportation Infrastructure Plans
Long-term Treatment Cases to be Reviewed by Medical Professionals
Used Car Consumer Protection Measures to Be Announced Next Month

The government has decided to establish a mid- to long-term investment plan for transportation infrastructure, including expressways, railways, and airports, with a focus on regional areas. This decision is based on the belief that expanding transportation infrastructure is necessary to promote balanced regional development, which has been a key policy initiative of the current administration.

On July 16, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced at a presidential policy briefing that it would pursue four major reforms and four strategic tasks. At the forefront is regional-led growth centered on the "five major zones and three special regions" strategy. More specifically, in order to support three "mega projects" through the development of corporate advanced cities, the ministry plans to expedite the administrative procedures concerning the site of the Gwangju military airport, which has been designated as a candidate site for a semiconductor plant in the southwestern region.

The plan to expand regional transportation infrastructure will be reflected in various master plans to be announced in the second half of the year. The central government develops or revises mid- to long-term roadmaps for the national road network, national railway network, and airport development every five or ten years. These blueprints will be released sequentially in the upcoming months. A Ministry of Land official stated, "As soon as we complete the review of each comprehensive transportation plan, we will release them one after another in the second half of the year," adding, "In terms of specific implementation measures such as exemption from preliminary feasibility studies, we need further consultation with fiscal authorities; there have been no concrete discussions yet."

A bird's-eye view of the Gadeokdo New Airport. Provided by Busan City.

The construction of new regional airports, including Gadeokdo New Airport, as well as Daegu-Gyeongbuk and Saemangeum airports, will also be accelerated. However, only the general direction was presented in this briefing, with no details disclosed. The ministry official explained, "For Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport, all administrative preparations for the civilian airport have been completed," adding, "The military and financial authorities are currently discussing the size of the military airport and what resources will be used."

The administrative city of Sejong will begin developing its national symbolic district. The design for the presidential office in Sejong is being revised, with the goal of moving in by August 2029. Construction of the Sejong National Assembly building will begin in 2029 as well. Later this year, the government will also announce a phased relocation plan for central administrative agencies and a second public institution relocation plan. In Saemangeum, support measures will be prepared to establish the area as a base for advanced industries such as robotics, AI, and hydrogen, and it will be constructed as an RE100 industrial complex. Efforts will also be made to enact a special law for the refurbishment of regional infrastructure.

For airports with low demand such as Yangyang and Muan, preferred slots will be allocated to attract more foreign tourists, and multifaceted support will be provided for airline licensing, ground handling, shuttle buses, and international marketing. Incentives are also planned for next year to provide one-stop assistance for foreign or new airlines launching routes to regional airports. Systems will be established to allow foreign tourists to directly pay for express buses, intercity buses, city buses, and urban rail using foreign credit cards. New routes connecting Incheon International Airport to domestic airports will also be created to make travel more convenient for foreign visitors.

Currently, KTX tickets can be booked one month in advance, but this will be changed to allow reservations two months in advance. The integration of high-speed rail services (KTX and SRT), originally scheduled for December, will be moved up to September. Additionally, the government will pursue projects such as remodeling old rail cars and ordering new trains. To alleviate parking shortages at Incheon Airport, the number of short-term parking spots will be increased by 50 percent.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the ministry work report meeting for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries held at the State Guesthouse of the Blue House on the 16th. Photo by the Blue House News Photo Team, Yonhap News Agency

To enhance trust in the insurance system, a review process by medical professionals will be introduced when long-term treatment exceeding eight weeks is required for minor injuries such as simple bruises or sprains. To strengthen enforcement against illegal currency smuggling, a customs-exclusive verification room will be installed and AI-based currency detection technology will be adopted.

Consumer protection measures for used car buyers will be announced next month. The government will mandate a total price labeling system for used cars, including all fees, and specify standards for vehicle performance inspections. Seller warranty obligations will also be strengthened. If public pedestrian passages created through public contributions during redevelopment are not opened, the government will impose enforcement fines. For facilities such as covered parks that increase housing prices, the rules for acceptable costs will be revised, introducing a cap on project costs and recognizing only expenses directly related to the new complexes, which had previously been loosely regulated by ordinances. Excessive amenities such as ice rinks will be required to be included in redevelopment plans.

Kim Yoon-duk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is giving a report at the ministerial work briefing presided over by President Lee Jae-myung at the Blue House State Guesthouse on the 16th. Photo by the Blue House Press Corps, Yonhap News Agency

To ensure the safe demolition of outdated infrastructure, the government will review the entire safety management system and prepare improvement measures in the second half of the year. To prevent shoddy construction, authorities will strengthen monitoring of key construction processes, such as by requiring mandatory video recording. The scope of the public transport fare refund system, known as "Everyone's Card," will be expanded to include teenagers.

Additionally, to enhance the added value of the overseas construction industry, the government will establish a new fund and pursue joint investments with foreign sovereign wealth funds, policy banks, and global developers. The fund will have a scale of 10 trillion won. A system will be built for the production, distribution, and utilization of data, and strategies for a high-tech transformation of the construction industry, such as innovation in production using physical AI and robotics, will be developed in the first half of next year.

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