Osan City Seeks Rapid Implementation of GTX-C Osan Extension with Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Lee Su-won] Osan City is joining forces with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to expedite the implementation of the GTX (Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railroad) C-Line Osan extension project.

Previously, the city signed a 'GTX-C Extension Co-prosperity Cooperation Agreement' with Gyeonggi Province, South Chungcheong Province, and five other local governments on the 22nd at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in Sejong.

At the co-prosperity agreement ceremony, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Park Sang-woo stated, "We will cooperate closely to ensure the GTX-C extension project can proceed rapidly," and emphasized, "With the GTX-C line as the center, excellent talent and new investment demand are expected to gather, improving corporate location conditions and forming regional hubs. The Ministry and local governments will make maximum efforts together."

In response, Osan City Mayor Lee Gwon-jae aims to make efforts so that the GTX-C main line, which began construction earlier, and the Osan extension line can open simultaneously, using the contents of the GTX-C extension co-prosperity cooperation MOU as a foundation.

At the agreement ceremony, Mayor Lee emphasized, "Following the selection of Segyo 3 District as a new supply site, Osan will develop into a self-sufficient connect city of 500,000 residents, and as the heart of the semiconductor cluster in southern Gyeonggi, corporate investment demand continues. We have sufficient future demand."

In fact, the Osan Station area is expected to emerge as a quad station district and become the true central station area of southern Gyeonggi as the existing National Railroad Line 1, GTX-C line, Suwon-originated KTX Osan stop, and Dongtan Urban Railway Tram will enter the area.

Mayor Lee also formed consensus with other local government heads in attendance on proceeding with the BTO (build-transfer-operate) method as a profit-type private investment project.

This is because when the GTX-C line extension is pursued as a general fiscal project, it must be reflected in the national railroad network construction plan, undergo preliminary feasibility studies, and go through the design and construction stages. However, when pursued as a BTO project, procedures are simplified and construction and design can occur simultaneously, potentially reducing the period by 3-4 years, enabling simultaneous opening with the main line in 2028.

However, since each local government's financial level varies, there was a suggestion to preserve a portion of project costs and operating costs paid preemptively through some national and provincial funds after the GTX-C extension project is completed, and consensus was formed on this as well.

Regarding this, Mayor Lee opened the discussion at a meeting with Railroad Bureau Director Yoon Jin-hwan immediately after the agreement signing, saying, "We agree that by pursuing the GTX-C line extension as a BTO project, our Osan citizens can enjoy transportation benefits in a short time."

The mayor continued, "However, it is understood that our city must bear approximately 80 billion won for the GTX-C line extension, which corresponds to one-tenth of the annual budget," and requested, "Rather than the n-for-1 method, please consider each local government's financial conditions and share project costs accordingly, make project costs payable in installments, and as discussed in the previous co-prosperity cooperation MOU, please consider partial national and provincial fund conservation of operating costs and support for national and provincial funds for vehicle purchase costs."