Rival parties unanimously approve controversial railroad bill ahead of general election

The railroad connecting Gwangju and Daegu has been opposed by the government due to low feasibility, as the train passes through counties with a shrinking population. The estimated cost of the Dalbit railway project is 4.5 trillion won.

A map of the Dalbit railroad that connects Gwangju and Daegu, crossing through Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces, displayed during an event held in Geochang, South Gyeongsang, on April 28, 2021. [YONHAP]

The rival political parties – the People Power Party (PPP) and the Democratic Party (DP) – have come to a unanimous agreement in approving the legislative bill for the construction of a controversial railroad connecting Gwangju and Daegu.

Among the 216 lawmakers that attended the general assembly on Thursday, 211 voted in favor of the special bill endorsing the construction of the Dalbit railway, which translates to "moonlit."

Local governments including Gwangju and Daegu have been advocating for the railroad since 2021.

However, the project faced controversy, including strong opposition from the government, citing low feasibility.

The estimated cost of the Dalbit railway project is 4.5 trillion won ($3.4 billion).

The government has argued that the regions through which the trains will pass are experiencing a sharp decline in population, potentially leading to operational revenue losses.

Stops along the route include Damyang in South Jeolla, Sunchang, Namwon, and Jangsu in North Jeolla, as well as Hamyang, Geochang, Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang, and Goryeong in North Gyeongsang. Most of these counties have populations less than 50,000, with Jangsu being the lowest at 20,000.

The government has expressed concerns of the precedent that the legislative bill, which it views as a populist project, might establish.

Especially the government emphasized the bill's exemption of the feasibility study.

“While we sympathize with the intention, the Dalbit railroad is just one of the 44 new rail lines under the fourth national railroad network plan,” said Choi Han-kyung, fiscal management bureau director at the Finance Ministry while attending the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. “Some of the other lines have either conducted feasibility studies or are in the process, and equity must be considered.”

The approval of the bill coincides with both parties' efforts to gain favor in the Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces ahead of the upcoming general election in April.

The legislative bill passed through the final approval process at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and went to vote on the assembly floor in less than two days.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]