Politics · South Korea · 2 hrs ago
Five South Korean counties seek national plan for West Coast Railway
Officials from five counties in South Korea’s southwest joined forces to seek approval for a proposed West Coast Railway.
The line would run about 110 kilometres from Gunsan-Saemangeum to Mokpo along the country’s west coast.
The project is estimated to cost 4.79 trillion won.
It was listed only for further consideration in the previous national rail plan, covering 2021 to 2030.
The counties want it included as a new project in the 2026–2035 plan, which they say is their first priority.
They also plan to work together on route and station proposals, feasibility studies and regional development plans.
Their next step is to continue joint efforts and prepare for preliminary and full feasibility reviews.
Five counties in South Korea’s Jeolla region are jointly urging the government to include the West Coast Railway in the country’s fifth national railway network plan.
The proposed railway would run about 110 kilometres from Gunsan Saemangeum to Mokpo and cost an estimated 4.7919 trillion won.
The counties announced five shared priorities at an event in the National Assembly Members’ Office Building on October 28.
The railway was classified as a project for further review in the fourth national railway network plan.
The counties say they will work together on planning, feasibility studies and regional development strategies.
- Who
- Gunsan, Buan and Gochang in North Jeolla, and Yeonggwang and Hampyeong in South Jeolla.
- What
- The five counties are jointly seeking inclusion of the West Coast Railway in the fifth national railway network plan.
- When
- October 28, 2026.
- Where
- At an event in the National Assembly Members’ Office Building in Seoul.
- Why
- The railway was listed for further review in the previous plan, and the counties want it included as a new project in the next plan.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The fourth national railway network plan classified the West Coast Railway as a project for further review.
Representatives of the five counties announced shared priorities for seeking inclusion in the fifth national railway network plan.
The counties said they would continue joint efforts and prepare research and regional development strategies for subsequent procedures.
- Counties
- Gunsan, Buan, Gochang, Yeonggwang and Hampyeong
- Proposed route
- Gunsan Saemangeum to Mokpo
- Route length
- About 110 kilometres
- Estimated project cost
- 4.7919 trillion won
- Target plan
- Fifth National Railway Network Plan, 2026–2035
1 source
What people are saying
The west coast south of Gunsan is the only coastal area without a railway.
The first task for the five counties is to include as a new project in the fifth plan a project that was pushed back for further review in the fourth plan.
We will go together until the West Coast Railway is included in the fifth national railway network plan.