Lee Sangil Makes a "Last Stand" with 1 Trillion Won Railway Fund... Calls for All-Out Push for Land Ministry's "Rail Network Survey"

Lee Sangil, Yongin Mayor: "Let's Unite to Get Yongin's Three Major Railway Projects Included"
Ministry of Land Survey on the 5th National Railway Network Plan... Closes at 3 p.m. on November 13
Yongin Proposes Three Projects: Gyeonggang Line Extension, Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railway, and Semiconductor Line
Survey Available on Ministry and City Websites, Korail+ App, and at Local Administrative Welfare Centers
Mayor Lee: "Success of the World's Largest Semiconductor Complex Depends on Transport Infrastructure"

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin Special City in Gyeonggi Province, said on November 10, "The rail projects Yongin has been pursuing are critically important issues directly tied to the city's development and the quality of life of its residents." He called on residents to actively participate in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's public survey on the National Railway Network Construction Plan.

Lee Sang-il, mayor of Yongin Special City, speaks at a joint rally calling for the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway to be included in the Fifth National Railway Network Development Plan. Provided by Yongin City.

Yongin City has proposed three projects for inclusion in the 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan (2026-2035): an extension of the Gyeonggang Line, the Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railway, and a new Southern Gyeonggi East-West Railway (Semiconductor Line). The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is conducting a public survey until 3 p.m. on November 13 to incorporate input from the public, local governments, and experts into the plan.

Mayor Lee said, "I hope residents will actively participate in the survey and make the case for the need for these railway plans so that the city's proposals can be included in the National Railway Network Construction Plan."

The Gyeonggang Line extension is a conventional railway project that would connect Gwangju Station in Gyeonggi Province to Namsa, Yongin, via Everland, over a distance of about 38 km. The route would pass through Cheoin-gu, where a national semiconductor industrial complex and a general industrial complex are being developed, with the aim of improving rail access in the southeastern part of the Seoul metropolitan area.

The Southern Gyeonggi Metropolitan Railway is a proposed 50.7-km route linking Seoul Sports Complex with Hwaseong's Bongdam, via Suseo Station, Pangyo Station in Seongnam, Sinbong-dong and Seongbok-dong in Yongin, and Gwanggyo in Suwon. The project aims to ease regional transportation difficulties by connecting Seoul with major cities in southern Gyeonggi Province.

Yongin City expects that if the route is included in the national plan, the prospects for realizing the Dongbaek-Sinbong Line, which was included in Gyeonggi Province's 2nd Urban Railway Network Construction Plan in December last year, and the Eonnam-Dongcheon Line, for which a preliminary feasibility study has begun, will also improve.

Promotional materials for a public survey on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan. Provided by Yongin City.

The Southern Gyeonggi East-West Railway, known as the "Semiconductor Line," is an 89.4-km route connecting Bubal in Icheon to Jeongok Port via the general industrial complex in Yongin's Wonsam-myeon semiconductor cluster and the national semiconductor industrial complex in Idong-eup and Namsa-eup, as well as Dongtan and Byeongjeom. It would link Yongin's semiconductor industrial complexes with major industrial hubs in southern Gyeonggi Province.

Mayor Lee said, "The railway plans proposed by Yongin Special City are essential infrastructure not only for Yongin's growth and improved quality of life for residents, but also for the development of the semiconductor industry, a pillar of the national economy." He added, "I hope residents will speak with one voice so that their strong message reaches the government."

He also called for greater government investment. "We look to the government to ease severe transportation difficulties in southern Gyeonggi and create conditions that will allow talent driving advanced industries, including semiconductors, to settle in the region," Mayor Lee said. "I hope the government will invest more boldly in expanding the national railway network."

The survey asks about the future role of railways, the key policy goals of the National Railway Network Construction Plan, expanding the scale of railway investment, and the appropriate allocation of investment between the Seoul metropolitan area and other regions. Residents can participate through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Yongin City websites, the Korail+ app, and QR codes displayed at major railway stations. They can also submit their views at administrative welfare centers in Yongin's eup, myeon, and dong neighborhoods.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will also hold a "Public Consultation on the Transformation of Railways" event from 9:30 a.m. to noon on November 13 in the main conference room of the Professional Construction Center. The event will feature a presentation by the Korea Transport Institute, followed by presentations of local government opinions, an expert discussion, and a public consultation.

Lee Sangil, mayor of Yongin Special City, delivers remarks at a walking rally organized by the Suji Alliance calling for the early construction of the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad. Photo provided by Yongin City.

Yongin City plans to build up a railway fund of 500 billion won to 1 trillion won by 2030 to secure funding for railway projects.

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