Seongdong-gu lawmaker calls for thorough safety measures ahead of GTX-C Wangsimni Station ground-breaking

With construction of a new GTX-C line station at Wangsimni set to break ground in late December, calls have emerged for preemptive measures to address potential safety risks and resident inconvenience during the project.

Seongdong-gu Assembly member Park Ham-wit raised the issue at the district council's 2026 welfare and construction committee administrative audit, pressing the transportation affairs division on the current status of the GTX-C Wangsimni Station project and urging the district to establish safety management plans for each phase of construction.

The GTX-C line is a metropolitan express rail project stretching approximately 86.5 kilometers from Deokjeong in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, through Cheongnyangni, Wangsimni and Samseong stations in Seoul, and on to Suwon. Once the GTX-C line is added at Wangsimni, the station will become a major regional transit hub connecting five rail lines — the existing subway Lines 2 and 5, the Suinbundang Line and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line.

When Park asked about the long-delayed project's actual ground-breaking schedule and construction plans, Seongdong-gu Transportation Affairs Division Chief Jeong Hye-suk said the district plans to wrap up a community briefing on the Wangsimni Station project in December and proceed with the ground-breaking by the end of that month.

Park also confirmed plans for entrances at Wangsimni Station and the Sageun-dong area, and said safety concerns expected ahead of full-scale construction must be carefully examined.

Park expressed particular concern about blasting noise and vibration from underground excavation, as well as the possibility that existing subway transfer corridors could be narrowed during construction. Given the high volume of passengers at Wangsimni Station, she said a reduction in transfer space could cause pedestrian crowding and bottlenecks that lead to safety incidents.

"Wangsimni is already a major transfer station with heavy passenger traffic, so if existing corridors are narrowed during construction, bottlenecks and pedestrian crowding could cause safety accidents," Park said. "Transfer routes and pedestrian space at each construction phase must be carefully reviewed in advance."

Park also pressed officials on the status of safety assessments and specific countermeasures in light of recent ground subsidence concerns linked to underground excavation projects.

In response, Seongdong-gu Safety, Construction and Transportation Bureau Chief Lee Ki-ho said the GTX-C tunnel is designed to run at a depth of approximately 45 to 60 meters underground, with ground reinforcement to be carried out in parallel during tunnel excavation.

"We will strengthen safety management by closely examining underground obstacles and surrounding ground conditions in sections where ventilation shafts and entrances connect to the surface," Lee said.

Park said citing the tunnel's depth alone would not be enough to ease residents' concerns. She argued that officials must carefully assess how groundwater flows and existing subway station structures in the Wangsimni area could affect the excavation process, and must prepare waterproofing and ground reinforcement measures to prevent groundwater and soil from seeping out.

"Telling residents that the tunnel will be deep underground is not enough to put their minds at ease," Park said. "The Wangsimni area is susceptible to groundwater interference from nearby underground waterways and existing station structures, so thorough waterproofing and ground reinforcement measures must be in place to prevent soil from leaking out during excavation."

"The new GTX-C Wangsimni Station is an important project for improving Seongdong-gu's transport accessibility, so it must proceed without a hitch while minimizing inconvenience to residents during construction," she added. "Seongdong-gu must work closely with relevant agencies to proactively address anticipated risks — including blasting noise and vibration, pedestrian safety and ground subsidence — and must keep residents fully informed of safety measures and inspection results."