Yongin Mayor Lee Sang-il Discusses Promoting 'Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex' with Land Minister Park Sang-woo and LH President Lee Han-jun

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Ki-ho] On the 27th, Yongin Special City Mayor Lee Sang-il met with Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Park Sang-woo and LH President Lee Han-jun to strengthen cooperation for the successful development of the national industrial complex and discussed major pending issues.

At a meeting held in the on-site communication office of the 'Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex' in Idong-eup, Cheonan-gu, Mayor Lee Sang-il and LH President Lee Han-jun emphasized that for the advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex being developed in Yongin's Idong and Namsa eups to operate successfully, 'National Route 45' (which runs through the national industrial complex and the Idong semiconductor specialized new city) must be expanded from four lanes to eight lanes, and surrounding road networks must also be developed.

Minister Park Sang-woo stated that it is necessary to review exemption options from the Ministry of Economy and Finance's preliminary feasibility study for rapid expansion of National Route 45. Minister Park also requested that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and LH officials review a plan to design National Route 45 as a 'two-level road' to distribute traffic between vehicles heading toward the Yongin national industrial complex and those heading toward Anseong and Pyeongtaek.

Mayor Lee has been working to achieve early expansion of 'National Route 45,' the main road of the 'Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor Cluster National Industrial Complex.'

On April 8th, the mayor sent a letter to Park Chun-seob, senior presidential economic advisor, requesting exemption from the preliminary feasibility study for the 'National Route 45 expansion project,' and also communicated via text message.

Mayor Lee stated: "National Route 45, the main road of the 'Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex,' is experiencing severe traffic congestion as vehicles from Osan and Anseong passing through Idong-myeon in Yongin's Cheonan-gu heading to Yangji-myeon, as well as vehicles entering Yongin's Idong-eup, are concentrated on this route. Given that traffic volume on 'National Route 45' is expected to increase significantly due to worker vehicles during the national industrial complex development and subsequently from increasing residential population and workers of companies that will move in, we must proactively expand 'National Route 45' before constructing the national industrial complex," he continuously emphasized.

LH President Lee Han-jun also said on the day: "Looking at the process of developing the 'Goduck Industrial Complex' in Pyeongtaek City, most workers commute by car, so the city suffered from traffic congestion on roads. The Yongin national industrial complex development will be even more severe, so nearby road networks including early expansion of 'National Route 45' must be developed promptly."

Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Park Sang-woo, who sympathized with the views of Mayor Lee Sang-il and LH President Lee Han-jun, instructed relevant officials to arrange measures such as exemption from the preliminary feasibility study of the Ministry of Economy and Finance so that the expansion of 'National Route 45,' which is currently being designed, can be carried out promptly.

Minister Park said: "If we request a preliminary feasibility study in the manner we have done so far, it will take considerable time. To smoothly develop the 'Yongin Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex,' we must depart from the existing approach and apply flexibility through 'fast-track' or separate 'special-track' procedures."

On the day, LH, the project operator of the national industrial complex, explained the progress and future plans of the project, and also described plans for 'National Route 82 expansion' to resolve vehicle congestion between Yongin's Namsa and Hwaseong's Dongtan, and connecting 'Local Route 321' to the Gyeongbu Expressway, in addition to 'National Route 45 expansion.'

Mayor Lee Sang-il told LH President Lee Han-jun: "I hope that the development of the Idong semiconductor specialized new city adjacent to the national industrial complex will also be expedited so that new city residents can begin moving in by the time the national industrial complex becomes operational," and President Lee responded: "We are planning the project with that direction in mind."

The mayor also said: "For the advanced system semiconductor national industrial complex and semiconductor specialized new city development to succeed, the cooperation of Yongin citizens in the relevant area is most important. I hope the government and LH will provide sufficient compensation to those whose homes and land will be acquired and establish practical measures to assist their relocation."