Ganghwa Seodo Bridge Construction Project to Begin This Year

[Suwon Ilbo=Choi Ki-ho] The Seodo Bridge construction project in Ganghwa, which had uncertain progress, is expected to begin this year.

Ganghwa County announced on the 5th that it has decided to commence construction of the "Seodo Bridge" project connecting Jumun-do, Acha-do, and Boleum-do in Seodo-myeon this year.

This project involves constructing two marine bridges with a total length of 1.6 kilometers connecting three islands—Jumun-do, Acha-do, and Boleum-do in Seodo-myeon—at a cost of 74 billion won (Jumun Bridge 30 billion won, Boleum Bridge 44 billion won).

However, although the project was pursued since 2017, the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance in 2019 resulted in a benefit-to-cost (B/C) ratio of 0.02 and a comprehensive evaluation (AHP) score of 0.483 in the economic analysis, leaving the project's future unclear.

Indeed, the Korea Development Institute's "2019 Seodo Bridge Construction Preliminary Feasibility Study Report" found in its economic analysis that the benefit-to-cost ratio (B/C) was 0.02 and the net present value (NPV) was negative 65.748 billion won, indicating a lack of economic viability.

After careful deliberation, Ganghwa County divided the project into phases 1 and 2, splitting the total project cost of 74 billion won into 30 billion won and 44 billion won respectively, thereby circumventing the 50 billion won threshold for preliminary feasibility studies.

The county also visited central government ministries, the National Assembly, and Incheon Metropolitan City to explain that this project cannot be evaluated solely on economic efficiency, as it is being pursued based on the Special Act for Balanced National Development and the Special Act for Border Area Support to improve living conditions and medical environments for residents in border areas.

In the interim, after requesting a local finance investment project review by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in December of last year, the project passed the "Central Local Finance Investment Review" in June, completing major preliminary administrative procedures for the Seodo Bridge construction project.

Meanwhile, the county is focusing on expanding tourism infrastructure in line with the Seodo Bridge construction, including △Jumun-do Tourism Infrastructure Connection Road Project △Boleum-do Tourism Infrastructure Connection Road Project △Daebin-chang and Dwit-jang-sul Beach Development Project. The county also plans to invest a significant portion of 16.9 billion won secured through next year's special situation area development projects into "tourism infrastructure expansion in Seodo-myeon."

County Governor Yu Cheon-ho stated, "Rather than saying something cannot be done or is difficult, this is a representative achievement of innovation by finding ways to make things work in line with the perspective of county residents," and added, "To promptly complete the bridge construction project in Seodo-myeon, we will continue to consult with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to quickly advance the Phase 2 Boleum Bridge construction project as a national finance project."