Gangwon Province mayors and county heads call for full allocation of KRW 293 billion in national funding for the Yeoju-Wonju double-track railway

【Financial News, Wonju = Kim Gi-seop, reporter】The heads of local governments in Gangwon Province’s 18 cities and counties spoke with one voice, saying that not a single won of next year’s KRW 293 billion in national funding should be cut if the Yeoju-Wonju double-track railway linking the Seoul metropolitan area and south-central Gangwon is to open on schedule in 2028.
According to Wonju City on the 22nd, the Gangwon State Mayors and County Heads Council for the ninth popularly elected term adopted a joint recommendation that day at its second regular meeting at Gangneung City Hall, calling for full national funding for the Yeoju-Wonju double-track railway construction project. The council urged the government and the National Assembly to allocate the full KRW 293 billion in national funding needed next year for on-time completion in 2028 and to restore to the original proposal the project funds cut during budget deliberations.
The Yeoju-Wonju double-track railway project involves laying a double-track railway along a 22.171-kilometer route, with the entire project cost of KRW 1.0934 trillion to be covered by national funding. The project is underway with completion targeted for December 2028. Once the railway opens, rail access between the southern Seoul metropolitan area and Yeongseo and the east coast of Gangwon is expected to improve, making travel to the metropolitan area more convenient for residents of south-central Gangwon, centered on Wonju.
The key issue is next year’s budget. Once trackbed construction is complete, substantial funding will be needed for railway systems work, including tracks, power, communications and signaling. If the required budget is not fully allocated, subsequent stages of construction will inevitably be delayed. The city says that a longer construction period would drive up material and labor costs and increase the inconvenience for residents waiting for the railway to open. Wonju City plans to use this joint recommendation to raise awareness of the urgency of securing national funding and continue working with relevant agencies.
Wonju Mayor Gu Ja-yeol said, “With key stages such as track, power and signaling ahead, the full KRW 293 billion in national funding for next year must be allocated if we are to keep our promise to open the railway in 2028,” adding, “I will do everything I can to secure national funding so that the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon are connected as a single living and economic zone and residents can enjoy the benefits of rail as soon as possible.”

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter