Choo Mi-ae: "Incheon Line 2 Extension to Goyang Repays Sacrifices Made for National Security... Must Pass Preliminary Feasibility Study"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Miae Sends Letter to Minister Park Honggeun

Urges Cooperation Ahead of Second Preliminary Feasibility Study Review: "Guarantee the Right to Mobility"

Also Calls for Expanding New Projects in the Fifth National Rail Network Plan to More Than 100 Trillion Won

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae has asked the government to cooperate in securing approval in the preliminary feasibility study for the extension of Incheon Subway Line 2 to Goyang. The aim is to guarantee fair access to transportation for residents of northwestern Gyeonggi, who have endured various restrictions and transportation inconveniences in the interest of national security.

A view of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building. Photo courtesy of Gyeonggi Province.

Gyeonggi Province said on November 11 that Governor Choo had delivered a letter outlining these requests to Minister of Planning and Budget Park Honggeun on November 10.

The Incheon Subway Line 2 extension to Goyang is a regional rail project spanning 19.63 kilometers from Dokjeong Station in Seo-gu, Incheon, through Geolpo Bukbyeon in Gimpo, to the Kintex, Juyeop and Jungsan districts in Goyang. The total project cost is 2.083 trillion won. It is considered a key route in the northwestern metropolitan rail network, directly connecting Incheon, Gimpo and Goyang without passing through Seoul.

The project was selected for a preliminary feasibility study in July 2023 and completed its first review meeting in January 2025. It is now approaching its second review meeting. A comprehensive evaluation and final deliberation are still to come, making this meeting a likely turning point in the project's progress.

In her letter, Governor Choo said, "The Incheon Subway Line 2 extension to Goyang will address the long-standing transportation inconveniences faced by residents of northwestern Gyeonggi and repay them for their extraordinary sacrifices." She stressed that the project would "guarantee fair access to transportation for residents who have endured inconvenience and restrictions for a long time in the interest of national security, and provide tangible compensation for their sacrifices."

She also asked that the special circumstances of border areas and development constraints arising from various regulations be reflected in the evaluation. "Expanding the rail network is not simply a matter of transportation convenience; it is an urgent task to guarantee residents' access to transportation and reduce disparities between regions," Governor Choo said.

Gyeonggi Province expects that, once the line opens, it will connect to six routes for transfers, including the GTX Line A, redistributing approximately 87,000 daily trips on existing lines. The province said the line could ease chronic traffic congestion and overcrowding on railways in Goyang and Gimpo.

The province also expects the project to help revitalize the cultural and tourism industries. It believes that improved rail connections from Incheon International Airport to Kintex in Goyang and Imjingak in Paju would cut travel time by about 20 minutes and make the area more accessible to foreign tourists.

Governor Choo noted that in January 2026, the Ministry of Planning and Budget improved the preliminary feasibility study system to more fully assess regional characteristics and balanced development benefits. "We hope the intent of these reforms will be fully reflected in the evaluation of this project," she said.

She also proposed expanding investment in the national rail network. To realize "Gyeonggi Province's 30-Minute Commute Transformation," the scale of new projects included in the Fifth National Rail Network Construction Plan, which the government is reviewing, should be increased to more than 100 trillion won, she said. She asked the government to include as many as possible of the 40 high-speed, conventional and regional rail projects proposed by Gyeonggi Province and to expand national financial support.

Gyeonggi Province plans to work with relevant authorities, including Incheon Metropolitan City, Goyang City and Gimpo City, and focus its administrative resources on securing approval in the preliminary feasibility study for the Incheon Subway Line 2 extension to Goyang and advancing subsequent procedures.

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