Kim Moon-soo, a candidate for the People Power Party’s presidential primary, promised that if elected president on the 21st, he would pursue the 'establishment of five major metropolitan express railways (GTX)' during his term.
Candidate Kim announced these transportation pledges at his election office in Yeouido, Seoul, this morning.
Candidate Kim said, 'I will first expand the GTX, which has become a privilege of the metropolitan area, to five major regions nationwide to create a national express railway network.' This is a plan to connect the newly established airport, tourism, and industrial axes through the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam GTX, link the administrative capital and Cheongju Airport with the Daejeon-Sejong-Chungcheong GTX, and create the Daegu-Gyeongbuk GTX as a national east-west axis connecting the inland and the East Sea, along with constructing the Gwangju-Jeonnam GTX connecting the innovative city with Muan Airport and upgrading the existing Honam Line to an express service.
Regarding the GTX related to the metropolitan area, he stated, 'The GTX is a national transportation innovation project that I initially designed and promoted.' He noted that, 'In 2007, the GTX was the first proposal I made as the governor of Gyeonggi Province, suggesting that we start construction simultaneously on three lines, A, B, and C, in 2012, and complete them by 2017. However, at that time, the Democratic Party and the left-wing camp continued to delay the project through slander and agitation, and as a result, only part of Line A will open by 2024.'
He added, 'We must revive the delayed GTX project now,' promising to complete the six lines of the metropolitan GTX and extend them while also undertaking the establishment of the Dongtan-Cheongju Airport express railway connecting Chungcheong and the metropolitan area.
Candidate Kim stated, 'I will open all lines A, B, and C during my term and start construction on lines D, E, and F within my term. I will actively support the extension of GTX lines A, B, and C, which are currently under feasibility verification, and promote the express railway connecting Dongtan and Cheongju Airport bridging the metropolitan area and Chungcheong.'
Candidate Kim explained about the proposed GTX lines in the metropolitan area, saying, 'They are designed based on the railway plans that each local government is pursuing,' adding, 'This realistic policy provides high cost-effectiveness, including a method that concurrently improves existing lines.'
He emphasized, 'If elected president, I will reflect the nationalization plan for the GTX in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan and actively promote it at the central government level.'
Park Soo-young, who serves as the chief of the policy coordination headquarters of the Kim campaign, explained that '(Kim) promises to shorten the approval process of the GTX project to accelerate it if he is elected president, and this process should be followed by easing regulations apart from the GTX.'
Regarding securing funding for the project, he mentioned, 'Each of the 11 GTX lines involves approximately 3 trillion to 5 trillion won in investment,' and added, 'It will not be financed by the government budget but will proceed through private investment, collecting fees later to cover the project costs.'