여수~남해 10분 시대 가시화...'해저터널'의 기대와 우려[목포MBC 뉴스투데이]

[Mokpo MBC News] ◀ Anchor ▶ Construction is in full swing on an undersea tunnel connecting Yeosu and Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, beneath the sea. Once completed in 2031, travel time between the two regions will be reduced from one and a half hours to just 10 minutes. While a tourism boom is anticipated, voices are also being raised regarding the so-called "straw effect," which involves losing population to South Gyeongsang Province. Reporter Kim Jong-tae reports. ◀ Report ▶ The undersea tunnel project connecting Sindeok in Yeosu to Seomyeon in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, is a tunnel under the sea. The total length is 8 kilometers, with the undersea tunnel alone measuring 5.7 kilometers. Construction began last year, and work on the tunnel portal at the starting point in Yeosu is currently in full swing. The total project cost is 810 billion won, and as of this month, the project shows a completion rate of 7%. When the undersea tunnel is completed in 2031, the travel time from Yeosu to Namhae will be reduced to 10 minutes, significantly shortening the journey that previously took over an hour and a half. Yeosu City is busy devising development strategies linked to the tunnel following its opening. The most significant effect is the expansion of tourism infrastructure. As tourists visiting Yeosu and Namhae will be able to travel back and forth in the shortest possible time, the economic ripple effect is expected to grow. Plans are underway to create a cafe street on the coastal hills around Sindeok and Sangam in Yeosu, the starting points of the tunnel, and to develop a coastal park near the tunnel. Analysts also suggest that the influx of the local population will be substantial. This means that the inconvenience Namhae residents currently face—having to travel mainly to Jinju or Gimhae for hospitals or airports—can be resolved in Yeosu, which has become closer via the tunnel. ◀ INT ▶ Kim Hyung-min, Planning Team Leader, Yeosu City - "(At the undersea tunnel service report meeting) 33 tasks across three fields were identified. Regarding these details, we plan to establish detailed implementation plans by each relevant department to determine whether these tasks are actually feasible and can be carried out." However, along with the positive effects, there are also many areas that require preparation. While the local resident population may increase, the permanent resident population could decrease. This means that people might keep their workplaces in Yeosu or the eastern Jeonnam region, but move their residences to Namhae, where housing prices are relatively lower and living conditions are better. This is the reason why concerns are being raised that the opening of the undersea tunnel could cause the population of the Gwangyang Bay area to migrate to Gyeongnam. Furthermore, there are growing calls to focus on revitalizing the joint tourism zone between the two regions by expanding road networks that connect to downtown Yeosu or tourist destinations in conjunction with the undersea tunnel. ◀ INT ▶ Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member Joo Jong-seop "(Regarding the undersea tunnel) A road that runs through downtown Yeosu is needed at the entrance/exit point of Sindeok, Yeosu. We anticipate that this will be highly effective for entering downtown Yeosu and for moving logistics within the Yeosu Industrial Complex." With five years remaining until the opening of the Yeosu-Namhae undersea tunnel, Beyond its symbolic significance in connecting the Yeongnam and Honam regions by sea, it appears necessary to pay closer attention and prepare meticulous measures to help increase the population of both regions and expand tourism infrastructure. MBC News Kim Jong-tae.