[전국]”Not economical, but only one highway”… 25 years of tears in southern Gangwon-do

[앵커]

One of the regions with the worst transportation infrastructure in Korea is the southern part of Gangwon, which is called an abandoned mine area.

It has been more than 25 years since the highway construction plan came out, but there is still no promise.

Reporter Jihwan interviewed.

[기자]

Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do, prospered as a mining city in the 70s and 80s.

Together with Yeongwol, Taebaek, and Samcheok-si, it is the southern part of Gangwon that is now called an abandoned mine area.

The southern region of Gangwon is often referred to as an inland island.

It is counted as one of the best remote areas in Korea. There are no companies and no people.

This is because the transportation infrastructure is very poor.

Winding mountain roads, most towns don’t have expressways that can be reached within an hour’s surroundings.

There is not one obstetrics and gynecology department, and resorts and various tourist facilities are also invalid.

It’s far and uncomfortable, so people don’t come and you just leave without coming, so it’s even worse.

[박지희 / 강원 정선 지역 주민 (임신부) : 제가 임신 초기라서 강릉지역에 2주에 한 번 병원을 다니고 있는데요. 아무래도 자차를 이용해 운전하다 보니까 강릉까지 2시간 정도 소요되는 거라서….]

What residents want most is the highway.

Construction plans have already been made 25 years ago.

A highway that starts in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, passes through Chungbuk, and connects the country to Samcheok on the east coast.

From Pyeongtaek to Anseong, which has a relatively large population, to Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do, it has already opened in 2015.

The second stage, Jecheon to Yeongwol, also barely passed a preliminary feasibility study last year and is expected to be completed in about 10 years as soon as possible.

There is a 90km section left from Yeongwol to Samcheok via Jeongseon, Taebaek, and this is the problem.

Since it is a mountainous area, the construction cost is over 3 trillion won, and if it is analyzed based on the estimated traffic volume, it is practically difficult to pass the feasibility study due to the low economic feasibility.

[최승준 강원 정선군수 / 동서고속도로 추진협의회장 : 여기가 인구가 많지 않고 산악, 태백준령이 있어서 고속도로 건설에 많이 비용이 들지만, 여기 내륙에도 고속도로를 뚫어서 다 같은 국민으로서 균형 발전 혜택을 받을 수 있도록.]

Local governments in southern Gangwon-do are looking for members of the National Assembly, holding discussion meetings, and suggesting highway construction.

It is known that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will establish and announce a five-year highway construction plan in the near future.

The southern part of Gangwon is betting on the evaluation of balanced national development, which has a higher proportion than the expected economic feasibility.

YTN Jihwan[[email protected]]is.

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