A research project to verify the technical and economic feasibility of connecting Line 9's Dunchon Oryun Station to the Songpa-Hanam Line (Seoul Line 3 extension) has formally kicked off, with the goal of establishing a Line 3–9 transfer system and mapping out administrative scenarios to minimize construction delays.
Gangdong-gu held a kickoff briefing Friday for a research project examining the technical and economic feasibility of connecting Line 9's Dunchon Oryun Station to the Songpa-Hanam Line — a Seoul Line 3 extension — to create an integrated Line 3–9 transfer system.
The study, formally titled the "Preliminary Feasibility Review for Connecting Line 3 to Dunchon Oryun Station," will examine how to build a transfer link between Lines 3 and 9 so that Dunchon Oryun Station can be incorporated into the Songpa-Hanam Line, which extends Line 3 from Ogeum Station to Hanam City Hall Station.
The district is funding the entire research cost from its own budget as part of its active push to secure the Dunchon Oryun Station connection on the Songpa-Hanam Line.
If the connection is realized, riders from the eastern metropolitan area — including Gangdong-gu, Hanam and Namyangju — will be able to transfer to Line 3 at Dunchon Oryun Station via the planned Phase 4–5 extension of Line 9.
That would dramatically improve access to Line 3's Suseo Station, which serves the GTX-A and SRT high-speed rail services.
Residents of the Gamil and Gyosan districts in Hanam would also gain the option of transferring to Line 9 express trains at Dunchon Oryun Station, bypassing the need to travel all the way to Express Bus Terminal Station.
Travel times to major Line 9 stops such as Gimpo International Airport are expected to shorten significantly, with overall accessibility improving dramatically for an estimated 2.5 million residents across the eastern Greater Seoul area, including Gangdong-gu, Namyangju, Songpa-gu, Hanam and Guri.
While expectations for improved transit connectivity run high, some have raised concerns that adding the Dunchon Oryun Station link could delay the Songpa-Hanam Line project. The line received basic plan approval in July last year and is currently in the process of awarding a turnkey construction contract.
In response, the district plans to use the feasibility study to rigorously assess the technical and economic merits of the connection while also developing administrative procedure scenarios designed to minimize any construction delays.
The aim is to find a way to enhance transit convenience for all Line 3 and Line 9 riders without undermining the original purpose of the Songpa-Hanam Line, which is being developed as part of the third-generation new town wide-area transportation improvement plan. The district said cooperation from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Gyeonggi Province and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will be essential to moving the project forward.
"Establishing a Line 3–9 transfer system is expected to greatly improve transit convenience not only for Gangdong-gu residents but for the 2.5 million people living across the eastern metropolitan area, including Songpa-gu, Hanam and Namyangju," Gangdong-gu District Mayor Lee Su-hee said. "We ask for the strong interest and cooperation of residents and relevant agencies so that the project can proceed smoothly."
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