Second Gyeongchun National Route Project Breaks Ground, Set to Create New Development Axis in Northern Gangwon

【Financial News | Chuncheon—Reporter Kim Ki-seop】A briefing was held to inform local residents about the progress of the Second Gyeongchun National Route project just over two weeks after construction began on the road linking the capital region with Gangwon.
According to Gangwon State on the 18th, a briefing on the construction of the Second Gyeongchun National Route was held that day in Anbo-ri, Seomyeon, Chuncheon. The event was organized to inform local residents that the project was moving forward in earnest and to share plans for expanding the transportation network by linking existing national and local roads. About 30 people attended, including Gangwon State Governor Woo Sang-ho, National Assembly members Heo Young and Han Ki-ho, Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han, Lee Dong-min, head of the Wonju Regional Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and local residents.
The Second Gyeongchun National Route project will build a new four-lane road over a total length of 33.6 kilometers, connecting Geumnam-ri in Hwado-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, with Dangnim-ri in Seomyeon, Chuncheon. It was selected in 2019 as a project exempt from a preliminary feasibility study under the National Balanced Development Project. With a total budget of 1.9404 trillion won, the project aims to open in 2032. Construction began simultaneously across all sections on September 1. The Seoul Regional Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is handling Sections 1 and 2, totaling 15.8 kilometers, while the Wonju Regional Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is responsible for Sections 3, 4 and 5, totaling 17.8 kilometers. The route will include 25 tunnels, 41 bridges and seven intersections.


Once the road opens, travel time from Namyangju-si to Chuncheon is expected to fall from 54 minutes to 25 minutes, a reduction of about 29 minutes. The project is also expected to ease chronic congestion on Korea National Route 46, reduce logistics costs and improve access from the capital region to Gangwon. This, in turn, is expected to boost tourism and industry in northern Gangwon, including Chuncheon.
Gangwon State plans to expand nearby national and local roads as well so that the benefits of the new route extend across northern Gangwon. The National Route 5 Seomyeon–Sinbuk national road replacement bypass project is designed to divert traffic expected to concentrate around Anbo-ri after the route opens toward Yongsan-ri. It has a total length of 10.5 kilometers and a budget of 365.1 billion won, and has already been included in the Sixth National Road and National Local Road Construction Plan.
In addition, a project to expand the Seomyeon Geumsan–Sinmae section of National Local Route 70 to four lanes, aimed at dispersing traffic in downtown Chuncheon, has a total length of 3.1 kilometers and a budget of 36.6 billion won. It has been included in the same plan as a candidate project costing less than 50 billion won and exempt from a preliminary feasibility study, with the results set to be announced soon.
Governor Woo Sang-ho said, "The Second Gyeongchun National Route project, which we have been preparing for, reached its full-scale phase when construction began across all sections on September 1." He added, "As this project will connect the capital region and Gangwon and create a new development axis in northern Gangwon, including Chuncheon, we will focus on securing the budget and supporting administrative procedures so that it can open on schedule in 2032."

[email protected] Kim Ki-seop Reporter