Ulsan tram project to proceed as planned

Ulsan's Urban Railway Line 1 tram construction project, which has been mired in debate over whether to proceed or halt since the start of the ninth elected city administration, is set to move forward.

Mayor Kim Sang-uk convened a tram response meeting Friday afternoon at the situation room on the seventh floor of City Hall. Attendees included Deputy Mayor for Administration Seo Nam-gyo, Deputy Mayor for Economy Shin Min-sik, Political Affairs Chief Choi Hyeong-jun, Administrative Bureau Director Noh Dong-wan, Citizen Safety Office Director Park Sun-cheol, Economy and Industry Office Director Jeong Ho-dong, Policy Planning Officer Kim Chang-hyeon, Transportation Bureau Director Kim Jong-hwa, Chief of Staff Lee Gang, and Kim Ji-hun, secretary-general of the Ulsan Citizens' Solidarity. The city decided to press ahead with the project, citing the absence of any legal mechanism to stop it.

"According to legal counsel, terminating the contract would not be lawful, meaning the city has no authority to halt the project through legal means," Kim said at the meeting, announcing the decision to proceed.

The decision follows contracts the city signed in March with Hyundai Rotem for the manufacture of hydrogen-powered electric trams, and the selection in April of a Hanshin Construction-led consortium as the main contractor for Urban Railway Line 1.

Kim noted that full construction is set to begin in March next year, after the completion of detailed design work, and said the city would continue exploring any lawful means of suspension in the interim.

The Urban Railway Line 1 project involves building a hydrogen-powered electric tram line at a cost of 381.4 billion won ($265 million), covering a 10.85-kilometer stretch between Taehwagang Station and Sinbok Intersection with 15 stops, and is scheduled to open in 2029.

Kim had signaled a "review" of the project after examining it through the mayoral transition committee, citing concerns including traffic disruption during construction and projected operating deficits after completion — a stance that made the project one of the most contentious issues in the region.