Pocheon calls for GTX-G line to be included in national rail plan

Pocheon Mayor Baek Young-hyun met with Land Ministry Vice Minister Hong Ji-seon at the National Assembly building on Thursday, alongside lawmaker Kim Yong-tae, to urge that the GTX-G line be included in the Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan (2026–2035).

Pocheon has consistently pushed for the GTX-G line in cooperation with Kim and Gyeonggi Province, among other relevant agencies. Since 2024, a privately led committee called the GTX Pocheon Attraction Promotion Committee has conducted public awareness campaigns, and a citywide signature drive collected 345,425 signatures to build support for the line. In December last year, Mayor Baek met with then-Land Minister Kim Yun-deok and submitted a formal petition and signature booklet calling for the line's inclusion.

The Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan is the highest-level statutory plan in the rail sector drawn up by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It serves as the key benchmark for determining whether new national rail projects will move forward.

At Thursday's meeting, Mayor Baek delivered a written petition and outlined the need to improve poor transport conditions in the border region, achieve balanced development in the northern Greater Seoul area and highlighted the economic and social ripple effects of the GTX-G line.

"The GTX-G line is a core project that will serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the local economy and driving urban growth," Baek said. "We will do our utmost alongside residents until the very end to ensure it is reflected in the national railway network plan."

Lawmaker Kim said the GTX-G project is "an important undertaking that will lay the groundwork for balanced development across the metropolitan area, including the northeastern Gyeonggi Province region," adding that he would work closely with related ministries to secure its inclusion in the Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan.

The GTX-G line was included as a campaign pledge by President Lee Jae-myung during the 21st presidential election. The planned route runs 84.4 kilometers, connecting Pocheon's Songwoo district to Uijeongbu, Byeollae, Guri, Nonhyeon, Sadang, Gwangmyeong (KTX) and Incheon's Sungui. The total project cost is estimated at about 8.17 trillion won ($5.64 billion). Once operational, the line is expected to cut travel time from Pocheon to Gangnam's Nonhyeon Station to about 30 minutes and to KTX Gwangmyeong Station to about 43 minutes.