The long-awaited Seoul metropolitan transport projects to extend Seoul Subway Line 5 to Gimpo-Gimdan and to build the Wirye–Sinsa urban rail have cleared the final preliminary feasibility study. Five projects, including the Line 8 extension to Pangyo and the construction and expansion of a mid-mountain road in Jeju, were selected as new subjects for preliminary feasibility studies.
The Ministry of Planning and Budget on the 10th held the third Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee meeting and announced these results.
A total of three projects passed the preliminary feasibility study at this committee meeting, all in the rail sector. The Seoul Line 5 Gimpo-Gimdan extension project will extend Line 5 from Banghwa Station through Incheon Geomdan to Gimpo. The plan is to disperse the severely crowded demand on the Gimpo Gold Line to improve safety, while proactively responding to transport demand from the Gimpo Hangang 2 Compact City.
The Wirye–Sinsa urban rail project will add a new line connecting Wirye New Town through Samseong Station to Sinsa Station. It is expected to help relieve the traffic congestion in the southeastern part of Seoul that has steadily worsened since the large-scale housing site development.
The Gadeokdo New Airport Rail connector construction project will link the Gyeongjeon Line and the Busan New Port Line to improve access from the southeastern region, including Busan and Ulsan, to Gadeokdo New Airport and shorten rail freight transport distances along the East Sea corridor.
Five projects were selected as new subjects for preliminary feasibility studies. The Subway Line 8 extension to Pangyo will extend the 3.8-kilometer section from the Moran rail yard in Seongnam through Pangyo Techno Valley to Pangyo Station, aiming to ease congestion on nearby roads and buses.
The Jeju mid-mountain road construction and expansion (Sure-ri to Susan-ri) project will newly build and widen a 32.2-kilometer, four-lane section from Sinrye-ri in Namwon-eup, Seogwipo, to Susan-ri in Seongsan-eup, with the goal of improving access to Jeju's second airport and fixing hazardous roads.
The establishment of the Korea Coast Guard Human Resources Development Institute is a project to build in Dangjin, South Chungcheong, a specialized training institution focused on in-service personnel to respond to the adoption of advanced equipment such as drones and the increasing complexity and scale of maritime disasters.
The construction of the National Maritime City Science Museum will create in Gimje, North Jeolla, an exhibition and education facility for a future maritime city that combines Saemangeum's regional characteristics with renewable energy and new maritime industries.
The National Tax Service artificial intelligence (AI) system construction project outlines plans to innovate all areas of tax administration on an AI basis—taxpayer services, fair taxation, and work efficiency—in response to rising taxpayer numbers and tax revenue.
A government official said, "For the three projects that have secured feasibility, the competent ministries will swiftly proceed with the necessary steps," adding, "Projects selected as subjects for preliminary feasibility studies will see the investigating institutions promptly begin their reviews."