부전마산선 '부분개통' 추진 '전체 개통' 늦출라 / KNN

#KNNNews #Bujeon #Masan #Busan #Subway #Tunnel [Anchor] As the opening of the Bujeon-Masan double-track railway continues to be delayed, the government is pushing for a partial opening. The plan is to open at least the sections where trains can operate, but concerns are being raised that a partial opening could delay the overall opening date. Reporter Ju Woo-jin covered the story. [Reporter] Construction on the Bujeon-Masan double-track railway, which connects Busan and Gyeongnam within 30 minutes, has been halted for six years since reaching a completion rate of 99% in 2020. The government and the implementing company have been unable to narrow their differences regarding the construction method for installing evacuation passages in the Nakdong River Tunnel section where the collapse accident occurred. As the opening of the Bujeon-Masan double-track railway continues to be delayed, the government is ultimately pushing for a partial opening. The plan is to prioritize the opening of the eight-station section from the terminal station, Masan Station, to Busan Gangseo Geumho Station, which is just before the accident site. Gyeongnam, where regional public transportation is weak, has been strongly demanding a partial opening. (Seo Hee-bong, Gyeongnam Provincial Assembly Member: "While full opening is the principle, the idea is that even a partial opening would be much more beneficial to residents' right to mobility if they could use it.") However, voices of concern are being raised. The partial opening of the Bujeon-Masan Double-Track Railway could actually delay the full opening. This is because it could undermine the momentum for an agreement between the government and the implementing agency regarding construction on the uncompleted sections. Furthermore, a "half-baked" railway that cannot enter downtown Busan is bound to lose its competitiveness; if ridership remains low, it could potentially become a budget-consuming monster. (Kim Hyung-gyu / Head of Strategic Business Team, Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry: "If it is not fully opened, I believe there are clear limitations in achieving our goals, not only in creating demand but also in realizing the economic synergy effects and balanced national development that we originally aimed for.") In fact, in the case of the Metropolitan Express Railway Line A, the Suseo-Dongtan section—which was not connected to Seoul Station—was partially opened first, and the government eventually had to pay tens of billions of won in budget to the operator. As partial openings can lead to side effects such as further budget waste, a cautious decision seems necessary. This is Ju Woo-jin from KNN. Video Coverage: Hwang Tae-cheol CG: Lee Seon-yeon Tip-off KakaoTalk: Add 'KNN' as a friend Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.knn.co.kr Search: KNN