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GTX groundbreakings raise concerns over electioneering

Published: 09 May. 2025, 00:02

Joo Jung-wan

The author is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.

Taking an express train on the GTX-A line for the first time recently, I was struck by its speed. The service from Unjeong Central Station in Paju, Gyeonggi, to Seoul Station — part of the northern section of the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway — hit a peak speed of 177 kilometers per hour. The trip covered 33.7 kilometers in just 22 minutes, equivalent to the time it takes to pass through 11 Seoul subway stops.

Reporters receive a briefing from officials at the Great Train Express-A (GTX-A) line construction site near Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul, January 25, 2024. [YONHAP]

The train intervals were also reasonable: six minutes during rush hour and eight to 10 minutes during midday, according to station signage. During my ride, there were few passengers, and seats were easy to find. However, the ride was not without drawbacks. The train vibrated significantly at high speeds, which could be unpleasant for sensitive riders. The round-trip fare was 8,900 won using a transportation card on a weekday, which could be burdensome for daily commuters.

While the line is only partially operational, the launch of GTX-A appears to be progressing relatively smoothly. Yet it is difficult to fully celebrate the development when the B and C lines remain delayed. At the current pace, the government's promised opening timelines — 2030 for Line B and 2028 for Line C — seem unlikely to be met.

Line B has shown some movement, with a private sector-led segment submitting a construction notification in late March, raising hopes for a start soon. But Line C, to be built entirely with private capital, remains stalled with no clear timeline for commencement.

Delays in large-scale infrastructure projects are not uncommon. However, GTX delays are harder to excuse because of the government’s high-profile ceremonies declaring construction underway. Then-president Yoon Suk Yeol himself hosted public forums and made personal pledges to local residents. This was just over a year ago. Yet now, as the projects stall, no one appears willing to take responsibility for the broken promises.

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Great Train Express-C (GTX-C) line at Uijeongbu City Hall in Gyeonggi, January 25, 2024. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Revisiting the groundbreaking ceremony for the GTX-C line held at Uijeongbu City Hall on Jan. 25 last year, the former president stood at the podium and declared that “the exhausting morning and evening commutes will be fully resolved with the launch of GTX.” The event was attended by Land Minister Park Sang-woo, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon. Minister Park echoed the president’s assurances, promising the line would open “without delay.”

Just over a month later, another ceremony took place for Line B on March 7 in Incheon’s Songdo District, roughly a month before the April 10 general elections. Once again, Yoon appeared and proclaimed the day “the beginning of a transportation revolution for Incheon.” Minister Park reiterated the 2030 opening goal. Looking back, one wonders what basis the president and his minister had for making such confident declarations. It increasingly seems that the events may have been more about preelection performance than genuine progress.

Now, as the presidential election approaches on June 3, GTX is once again surfacing as a campaign issue. Leading candidates are making promises centered on rosy transportation plans. On April 25, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung proposed creating a “one-hour economic zone” by connecting key areas in the capital region through GTX. He vowed to ensure that the A, B, and C lines do not face further delays and pledged to extend routes to the outskirts of the Seoul metro area and into Gangwon Province to reduce underserved zones.

People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo made similar promises on April 21 during the announcement of his transportation platform. He pledged to finalize a nationwide GTX network covering five major metropolitan areas during his term. Kim also emphasized his role in initiating the GTX concept during his time as Gyeonggi governor, branding himself as the “original architect” of the system.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, attends the groundbreaking ceremony for the Great Train Express-B (GTX-B) express rail line, which will connect Incheon with downtown Seoul and Gyeonggi, at Songdo Convensia in Incheon on March 7, 2024. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

While these promises sound appealing, questions of feasibility loom large. The government has already failed to keep to the construction schedules it ceremonially launched. Adding new lines or extending existing ones further into distant regions only raises more skepticism. These are multibillion-won projects that cannot be advanced with campaign rhetoric alone.

Candidates must provide concrete plans alongside their promises. Without specifics, their pledges risk becoming empty slogans. If these proposals turn out to be more election theater than policy, public trust will only erode further after the ballots are cast.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.