Hwaseong Special Self-Governing City Holds Commissioning Ceremony and Advisory Meeting for Railway Innovation Initiative

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Chan-hyuk] Hwaseong Special Self-Governing City held a commissioning ceremony and advisory meeting for the 'Railway Innovation Initiative Advisory Panel' on the 10th at the conference room of the Dongtan Branch Office.

The advisory meeting was attended by Mayor Jeong Myung-geun, the Transportation Director, the Railway Strategy Division Chief, and city officials, along with 18 specialists in various fields including railway policy, operations, and vehicle and civil engineering. The meeting included the presentation of appointment certificates to 10 newly appointed advisory committee members and consultations on major issues.

The 'Railway Innovation Initiative Advisory Panel' is a public-private collaborative advisory body established in November 2022 to successfully implement railway pledges from the 8th elected administration and establish a sustainable railway network. It operates with the aim of strengthening cooperation with related agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport from the initial stages of policy formulation.

The advisory panel has held nine meetings so far to discuss operational strategies by route and measures for institutional improvement. With new appointments this year, it has established a more systematic advisory system.

Currently, the city has six railway lines including the Shin-Ansan Line and Dongtan-Indeokwon Line under construction and design, while eight lines including the GTX-C Byeongjeom Extension and Shinbundang Line Bongdam Extension are in the planning and conceptual stages, representing the most active railway network expansion among basic local governments nationwide.

Through this initiative, the city plans to connect large-scale development projects and advanced industrial hubs by railway and transform into a transportation hub connecting the capital region and the entire nation through a railway-centered urban structure.

Mayor Jeong Myung-geun stated, "Railways are critical infrastructure that determines the future of a city," and added, "I look forward to policy proposals based on the committee members' on-site experience and expertise that meet the expectations of citizens."

He continued, "We will enhance administrative efficiency and policy implementation capacity centered on the advisory panel and jointly lay the foundation for Hwaseong's future as a railway-centered city."