"Even Preparing a Railway Fund in Advance"... Seongnam Citizens Give Mayor Lee Sangil of Yongin a Thumbs Up

Yongin City to Establish '1 Trillion Won Railway Fund' Using Semiconductor Tax Revenues
Ordinance to Be Enacted in 2027, Initial Fund Accumulation Begins in 2028
Funding to Be Utilized for the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad and Dongbaek~Sinbong Line
Citizens Say, "Beyond Promises to Practical Preparation... Impressive Drive"
Mayor Sangil Lee: "Will Secure 130 Billion Won During My Term"

"Yongin City is creating a railway fund. Mayor Lee Sangil is truly impressive. He has a lot of drive. Mayor Lee is known as a workaholic, and regardless of political affiliation, if he runs for governor, I would definitely vote for him."

Lee Sangil, Mayor of Yongin Special City. Provided by Yongin City

After Sangil Lee, Mayor of Yongin Special City, announced a plan to establish a railway fund of at least 1 trillion won using increased tax revenue generated from the growth of the semiconductor industry, there has been a highly positive response not only among Yongin citizens but also from residents in Seongnam. Citizens are describing this as a responsible response—not only demanding incorporation of the rail line into the national plan, but also proactively securing the project budget in advance.

Yongin City is pursuing the 'Establishment of a New Railway Fund for Stable Railway Network Development' as a new pledge for the 9th popularly elected administration. The goal is to secure financial resources in advance for large-scale railway projects such as the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad and the Dongbaek~Sinbong Line, thereby increasing the feasibility of these projects.

Citizens are sharing their opinions on the direction of the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad project in the Seongnam Citizens Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad Promotion Coalition KakaoTalk open chat room. Screenshot from the Gyeongnam Metropolitan Promotion Coalition open chat room.

"Amazing, Everything Is Prepared in Advance"…Seongnam Citizens Also Give Positive Reviews

Recently, information about Yongin City's railway fund formation plan was shared in the KakaoTalk open chatroom of the 'Seongnam Citizens Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad Promotion Coalition.'

One citizen who reviewed the materials remarked, "Mayor Lee Sangil is amazing—he's got a lot of drive." Another citizen commented, "It's impressive how everything is being prepared in advance."

Additional responses included, "It seems Yongin is working very hard," "Mayor Lee is putting in a lot of effort," and "He has strong initiative and excellent administrative capacity."

Expectations for the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad project were also expressed. One citizen noted, "The Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad is akin to the Shinbundang Line for the southern Gyeonggi region, and the Gyeongnam Line should definitely be prioritized." Another added, "From the perspective of the Mayor of Yongin whose pledge is to implement these projects, the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad seems to be a very important route," expressing strong support.

Mayor Lee’s initiative to make the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad a key pledge and push for the creation of the fund is being interpreted as "preparing for execution beyond simply making a pledge." Rather than limiting the city’s efforts to demand inclusion in the national railway network plan, Yongin is proactively preparing its share of local government financial responsibility required for the joint project.

Citizens are evaluating Yongin Mayor Lee Sangil's plan to establish a railway fund in the "Seongnam Citizens Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad Promotion Coalition" KakaoTalk open chat room. Seongnam Citizens Gyeongnam Railroad Promotion Coalition Open Chat Room

"Governor Chu Only Highlights GTX"…Calls for Active Response from Gyeonggi Province

Citizens also called on Chumi Ae, the governor of Gyeonggi Province, to take a more proactive approach to the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad initiative.

One citizen pointed out, "While Mayor Lee prioritizes the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad, Governor Chu seems to prioritize the GTX (Great Train Express) project."

The same citizen emphasized, "Governor Chu included the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad in her campaign pledges, but since being elected, she seems to have adopted a passive attitude and is only focusing on the GTX project. I think we need to file major civil petitions again." Another citizen added that "residents need to be mobilized," raising the need for collective action.

The reason why Seongnam citizens are paying close attention to Yongin City's plan to create a railway fund is because the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad is a joint issue for both regions. There is growing expectation that if Yongin, as a key partner in the project, proactively takes on the financial responsibility, the likelihood of making the line a reality will increase.

Residents of Sinbong-dong in Yongin, organized as the 'Sinbong Solidarity' community group, are showing positive reactions such as "Mayor, you are the best" to Mayor Lee Sang-il's railway fund creation plan in the Sinbong Solidarity KakaoTalk open chat room. Screenshot of the Sinbong Solidarity open chat room.

Sinbong-dong Residents Also Say, "Wow, Mayor Is the Best"

In the open chatroom of 'Sinbong Solidarity,' the resident group in Sinbong-dong, Yongin, there was a flood of positive comments.

One resident shared, "I saw words of praise for Mayor Lee in group chatrooms of other regions, so I checked and found that such information is being circulated here as well." Another resident posted a thumbs-up emoji and wrote, "Wow, the mayor is the best." These messages drew several reactions of agreement from other residents.

The reason why not only Yongin but also Seongnam citizens are evaluating Mayor Lee's plan positively is that the initiative simultaneously advocates for the inclusion of the project in the national plan and secures the necessary funding. The concept of returning increased tax revenues from the growth of the semiconductor industry to citizens in the form of rail infrastructure is also raising public expectations.

Citizens of Seongnam are sharing their opinions on the direction of the Gyeonggi Southern Regional Railroad project in the Gyeonggi Southern Regional Railroad Promotion Alliance's KakaoTalk open chat room. Screenshot from the Gyeongnam Railroad Promotion Alliance open chat room.

Initial Fund Accumulation in 2028… 130 Billion Won by the First Half of 2030

This year, Yongin City will establish a basic plan for the formation of the railway fund and plans to enact the 'Yongin City Ordinance on the Establishment and Management of the Railway Fund' in 2027. A Railway Fund Management Deliberation Committee will also be formed to ensure specialized and transparent management of the fund.

The first fund accumulation will start in 2028. The city plans to allocate 30 billion won in 2028, an additional 50 billion won in 2029, and another 50 billion won by the first half of 2030, accumulating a total of 130 billion won initially. Beyond this, the city has set a long-term target of securing at least 1 trillion won in available resources by raising an additional 870 billion won or more.

The specific scale of the fund and methods of resource acquisition will be determined by the city based on its fiscal conditions and the trend of increased tax revenue from the semiconductor industry. The annual accumulation schedule will also be adjusted through consultations with the budget department.

Citizens are sharing their opinions on the direction of the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad promotion in the Seongnam Citizens Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad Promotion Coalition KakaoTalk open chat room. Screenshot of the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad Promotion Coalition open chat room.

The Fund Will Be Used for the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad, Dongbaek~Sinbong Line, and More

The fund will be used for large-scale rail projects such as the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad and the Dongbaek~Sinbong Line. The city is also considering using these resources to replace aging vehicles and rail systems of the Yongin Light Rail Transit, ensuring stable operation.

Large amounts of funding are required for railway projects over an extended period. By accumulating the fund in advance, the city can disperse what would otherwise be a concentrated fiscal burden at specific points in time. In negotiations with the central government, this serves as evidence of Yongin’s willingness to proceed with the project and its financial capacity to share the costs.

The Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railroad is a key regional transport network connecting Yongin, Seongnam, and the broader southern Gyeonggi area. Mayor Lee Sangil’s initiative to channel the region’s semiconductor industry tax revenue back to citizens through investment in railway assets, along with simultaneous planning for both the rail project and funding, is drawing attention to whether it will accelerate the realization of these projects.

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