World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Removal begins on unused 4.58-km railway in Okcheon
Work has begun to remove an unused railway line in Okcheon, a county in South Korea's North Chungcheong Province.
The 4.58-kilometre section runs between Daecheon and Samcheong-ri and is scheduled to be cleared by August next year.
The line was built in 2003 as a temporary rail link connecting the Gyeongbu railway with a track for high-speed trains.
It stopped being used in June 2015, and authorities decided in 2019 to remove it after considering other uses, including tourism facilities.
The removal is expected to cost 38.3 billion won, partly because the route includes large concrete structures.
Okcheon County is considering how to use the 162,000-square-metre site, with ideas including a park, sports facilities, solar-power facilities and farm roads.
The land is in an agricultural promotion area, so procedures to change that status may be needed before some plans can go ahead.
Removal has begun on a disused 4.58-kilometre railway in Okcheon, South Korea.
The work is expected to finish by August 2027 and will remove the tracks and structures.
The railway was built in 2003 as a temporary link between the Gyeongbu Line and a high-speed rail track.
Okcheon County is considering how to use the land after removal, including for sports facilities or solar-power facilities.
- Who
- Okcheon County and the National Railroad Corporation are involved in the removal.
- What
- Removal has begun on a disused 4.58-kilometre railway.
- When
- Work recently began and is scheduled to finish by August 2027.
- Where
- The railway runs from Daecheon to Samcheong-ri in Okcheon-eup, Okcheon County, South Korea.
- Why
- The railway was a temporary link built to connect the Gyeongbu Line with a track dedicated to high-speed trains; it was retired in June 2015.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The temporary railway was built to connect the Gyeongbu Line with a track dedicated to high-speed trains.
The railway was taken out of use.
The decision was made to remove the railway.
Removal work began on the 4.58-kilometre section.
Removal is scheduled to be completed.
- Railway section
- 4.58 kilometres from Daecheon to Samcheong-ri
- Removal cost
- 38.3 billion won in national funds
- Land area
- 162,000 square metres
- Completion target
- August 2027
1 source
What people are saying
We began removing the tracks and sleepers this month, and removal of the structures will get under way in earnest early next year.
Residents suggested various uses, including a park golf course, a park, solar-power facilities and agricultural roads, but procedures such as removing the land’s designation as an agricultural promotion area must come first.