Korea to build additional high-speed rail line to ease bottleneck

President Yoon Suk Yeol anoounces at the groundbreaking ceremony for high-speed railway line between Pyeongtaek and Osong section held in Cheongju on June 7. [Photo by Yonhap]

South Korea has embarked on the construction of an additional high-speed railway line between Pyeongtaek and Osong section at the juncture between the Honam and Gyeongbu lines near Seoul, where chronic bottleneck issues have persisted for years.

The newly proposed 47-kilometer double-track railway underground project below the existing double-track railway, with an expected completion date in 2028, is anticipated to contribute significantly to improving accessibility and regional balanced development.

During a groundbreaking ceremony held in Cheongju on Wednesday, President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed his enthusiasm for the project, saying that the addition would enable high-speed trains to operate seamlessly across the country, extending the national living zone to a convenient two-hour radius encompassing Incheon, Suwon and Geoje. He also highlighted the government’s commitment to building a world-class next-generation high-speed railway that can achieve speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour based on the country’s independent technology.

The project calls for the construction of the 46.9 km underground high-speed railway line in the congested section, where existing railways are struggling to cope with increasing traffic demand. With an estimated investment of about 3.2 trillion won ($2.44 billion), the project aims to address the bottleneck issues and enhance the capacity of the railway system. The construction will take around five years, with plans to open the new line to the public in 2028.

The project aims to increase the track capacity in the congested section to 380 trains per day from 190 trains. Track capacity is the maximum number of trains that can be operated per day on a given section of a track. The number of trips will also increase to 262 from 176.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport emphasized that this project will serve as a stepping stone for the next generation of high-speed railways, paving the way for future advancements and innovations in the field. The ministry forecasts substantial economic benefits from the project, including a production-induced economic effect of 4.16 trillion won, wage-induced economic effect of 702.4 billion won, and the creation of 21,949 jobs.

Yoon emphasized that a well-connected and robust transportation network is essential for promoting equal opportunities and balanced development across the country. The president further stressed the government’s strategic plan to elevate Osong, envisioning the establishment of a state-of-the-art railway industry cluster and transforming the existing life science complex into a dynamic K-Bio Square.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expedite the Daejeon-Sejong-Chungbuk high-speed railway project, which will enhance connectivity through Cheongju, further bolstering the region’s economic and technological prowess.

The new high-speed line will be designed to operate at 400 kilometers per hour for the first time in Korea, unlike high-speed railways that currently operate at 300 kilometers per hour.