A 36-year-old office worker surnamed An, who commutes between Wondang in Deogyang District, Goyang, and the area around Gyeongbokgung Station in Seoul, often gets off at Gupabal Station on the way home and waits for the next train. An said, "It's hard to catch a train bound for Daehwa directly from Gyeongbokgung Station, so I often have no choice but to take a train bound for Gupabal, get off at Gupabal, and wait again," adding, "As the situation of having to let one or two trains go by repeats, my travel time is increasing significantly."
Even as move-ins continue at newly built apartments across Deogyang District in Goyang, commute congestion is worsening as the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 3's "Gupabal-bound concentration" in scheduling persists. In particular, with Goyang and Seoul Metro differing over the interpretation of the allocation ratio and move-ins also planned for the Changneung third new town, critics say the traffic bottleneck could structurally expand. In response, they say scheduling needs to be adjusted to reduce the share of trains terminating at Gupabal and expand Daehwa-bound service, along with adding more trains.
As of the 7th, according to Seoul Metro, Goyang and others, agencies differ over the allocation ratio on Line 3. Goyang says that based on Gupabal Station, the ratio of Gupabal-bound to Daehwa-bound trains is about 3-to-1, while Seoul Metro says that on a full-line basis, there are more Daehwa-bound trains.
A Seoul Metro official explained, "Based on trains departing from Suseo Station, Ogeum Station, and elsewhere, the ratio at the terminal is about 3-to-2 for Daehwa-bound versus Gupabal-bound, with more trains running to Daehwa."
A Goyang official, however, said, "The explanation that the Daehwa-bound ratio is higher differs from what riders actually feel," adding, "It's clear that based on Gupabal Station, the share of trains terminating at Gupabal is higher." The official added, "The allocation ratio should be judged by a standard that reflects what riders feel."
This scheduling structure stems from how the line is operated. On Line 3, Seoul Metro runs the Gupabal–Jichuk section and KORAIL runs the Jichuk–Daehwa section under a split operation system. On top of that, because the Jichuk Rolling Stock Depot is located near Gupabal Station, some trains run only to Gupabal before entering the depot and turning back, which keeps the share of trains terminating at Gupabal high.
The real issue is rising demand. As of Mar. 2026, based on resident registration from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Goyang's population is about 1.06 million, with Deogyang District at 484,000, surpassing Eunpyeong District (about 450,000), which is in Gupabal Station's catchment. Overall demand in Goyang has also expanded to a level comparable to the Seoul section.
Rail demand continues to grow as housing site development and redevelopment proceed in areas along Line 3 such as Jichuk, Samsong, Wonheung, and Hyangdong. On top of that, if the Changneung third new town is added, additional demand inflows are inevitable. The Changneung district is currently in the main subscription stage, with move-ins set to begin at the end of 2027.
Goyang is asking Seoul Metro and KORAIL to adjust the schedule, but there has been no clear change. A Goyang official said, "The current Line 3 allocation ratio is the same as in the past when Deogyang District's population was smaller," adding, "We are continuously asking both agencies for cooperation." A Seoul Metro official said, "Because Line 3 operates as a through-service system with KORAIL, any scheduling adjustment requires consultation between the two agencies," adding, "We are making decisions by comprehensively considering demand across the entire line and operating conditions."
Experts say the current scheduling system makes it hard to fully reflect the increased demand for Daehwa-bound trains. Ko Jun-ho, a professor of urban engineering at Hanyang University, said, "To shorten headways, you ultimately have to run more trains, which leads to the issue of securing additional rolling stock," adding, "In the end, it depends on how much budget can be committed." Ko emphasized, "Even on a line like Line 3 where operators are split, the structure allows for scheduling adjustments through consultation, so for outer new towns where population growth is expected, authorities need to respond by raising the level of service in advance rather than after residents move in."