경기 남부 시민들 손잡았다..."경기남부광역철도 조기 확정 촉구'

[Anchor] Calls for the construction of a Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway connecting Suseo, Yongin, and Suwon, passing through Hwaseong and Byeongjeom, are growing louder. Residents of not only Suwon but also Yongin, Suji, and Hwaseong and Byeongjeom have announced that they will form a group and launch a joint response. This issue is expected to emerge as a major issue ahead of the local elections. Reporter Baek Chang-hyun reports. [Article Content] The Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway, which crosses southern Gyeonggi Province. Demands for the construction of this railway, which will pass through Seongnam, Yongin, Suwon, and Hwaseong, have persisted. In 2024, the mayors of four cities met and adopted a petition urging its inclusion in the national railway network plan. Citizens have also repeatedly visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) to request its inclusion in the railway plan. However, the MOLIT has repeatedly declined to respond to these requests, stating, "We will review it." This response from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and the months-long delay in the release of the "5th National Railway Network Plan" have fueled public protests. The Suwon Gwongok Intersection Station Promotion Committee, the Yongin Suji Solidarity, and the Hwaseong Byeongjeom District Apartment Association have joined forces to form a civic group. The citizens have formed the "Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad Promotion Citizens' Association" and have presented a joint statement of demands from the three cities. The core of the association's demands is for the inclusion of the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railroad to be "confirmed" rather than "reviewed." To this end, the MOLIT, Gyeonggi Province, and the three cities have formed a working-level consultative body and demanded the disclosure of a transparent roadmap. [Kim Jong-cheol / Secretary General of the Byeongjeom District Apartment Association] "The MOLIT's review and confirmation have been delayed twice, and with no definitive answer on when it will be completed after December, the traffic congestion in our southern Gyeonggi region is severe..." Citizens say that working together to push for an early confirmation will be more beneficial. [Kim Chae-gyu / Suji Solidarity Representative] "The residents' aspirations are strong, and we believe that, rather than working individually, if the association gathers together to push for and promote the project, it will be more beneficial for the early confirmation of the Gyeonggi Southern Metropolitan Railway." The association plans to submit a request containing citizens' opinions to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in March. [Kim Young-jin / Suwon Gwongok Intersection Station Promotion Committee Chairperson] "We are going to Inje to voice our urgent need for an early confirmation of the Inje National Railway Network Plan. We hope that many of the citizens who submitted their proposals will attend, and that politicians will also attend and make their voices heard." Meanwhile, the association has requested the participation of Seongnam City residents who were not included in this meeting. This is Baek Chang-hyun reporting from B tv News. [Photographed and edited by Kim Min-seong] #GyeonggiSouthernMetropolitanRailroad #CivicGroup #SujiCoalition #ByeongjeomGuApartmentAssociation #GwongoksageoriStation #SuwonCity #HwaseongCity #SeongnamCity #YonginCity #GyeonggiNews #BTVNews #SKBroadband #News