People Power Party leaders from Suwon, Yongin, and Hwaseong districts call for Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway inclusion in 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan

Party chapter chairmen from southern Gyeonggi Province and Gyeonggi Province legislators of the People Power Party have called for the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway to be included in the 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan.

According to political circles on the 12th, Lee Su-jung (Suwon-jeong), Ko Seok (Yongin-byeong), and Shin Young-rak (Hwaseong-eul), People Power Party chapter chairmen, and Lee O-su (Suwon 9), Kim Sun-hee (Yongin 6), and Choi Mi-geum (proportional representation) Gyeonggi Province legislators held a joint press conference at the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Press Center and called for inclusion of the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway in the 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan.

They emphasized, "The living area of 4.2 million citizens in Seongnam, Yongin, Suwon, and Hwaseong is already connected as one, but the transportation network has not kept pace with this." They added, "Reducing citizens' commute times and resolving transportation inconvenience should be the top priority of regional politics."

The Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway is a line connecting approximately 50.7 kilometers from Jamsil in Seoul through Suseo, Pangyo in Seongnam, Suji in Yongin, and Gwanggyo in Suwon to Bongdam in Hwaseong. In a preliminary feasibility study jointly conducted by four cities, the benefit-cost ratio (B/C) was analyzed at 1.20.

They argued that national-level investment is necessary given that this is a transportation network connecting the IT and AI industries in Pangyo with the semiconductor industries in Yongin, Suwon, and Hwaseong.

They called on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to reflect the plan in the 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan, asked Gyeonggi Province to strengthen coordination with the central government, and requested the four cities to cooperate beyond regional interests.

However, even after inclusion in the national plan, detailed route and station locations, and project cost-sharing remain issues to be resolved. In particular, in Suwon, regional demands include the establishment of new stations at Shinmaetan Intersection and Gwongok Intersection, and routing through Suwon City Hall Station and Maegyo Station.

They stated, "We have no intention of making this project a political achievement of one party or one politician." They added, "There cannot be a distinction between ruling and opposition parties when it comes to solving citizens' transportation problems."

They continued, "We will fulfill our responsibility not just to reflect this in the national plan, but until it leads to actual construction and opening."