Rep. Yoo Sung-kull held a debate on moving Daegu’s urban section of the Geyongbu (Seoul-Busan) Line underground at the convention hall of Daegu Gyeongbuk Design Center on July 22.
The session was designed to listen to diverse views from experts and the government on Daegu’s urban section of the Gyeongbu Line, and how to develop the upper surface sections in accordance with the President Yoon Suk-yeol government’s public pledge on the long-term policy task.
The Gyeongbu Line has been in operation for about 117 years after it was opened on Jan. 1, 1905. The line has served as a major artery for Korea’s logistics industry, contributing to the developing of the national economy, but Daegu’s urban section of the line bisects the east and the west of the city. It has exacerbated bad environment conditions such as bipolarization between the north and the south, aggravated housing environment, caused by noise and dust, plus limited land utilization.
Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo each gave a commemorative speech during the session.
Prof. Kim Han-soo of Keimyung University Urban Planning Department chaired the debate.
Choi Young-eun, a senior researcher with Daegu Gyeongbuk Research Institute, made a presentation on the topic “Moving Gyeongbu Line Underground and Dongdaegu’s Changes.”
Participating debaters included Prof. Kim Shi-gon of Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Ahn Jung-hwa, head of the Railway Policy and Safety Research Team at the Korea Society of Transportation, Prof. Park Chan-dong of Kyungwon Universtiy Architecture Department, Dir.-Gen.
Suh Deok-chun of the Transportation Bureau at the Daegu City government, and Director Oh Song-chun of the Railway Construction Department at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation (MOLIT), and Paik Hyo-soon, head of the High-Speed Railway Division at Korea National Railway.
The participants had active debate on how to offer policy support on moving the Gyeongbu Line underground and develop Daegu’s urban sections.
Rep. Yoo said, “This debate took place for the successful implementation of the long-standing task of moving part of the Gyeongbu Line underground and developing upper parts, and the line will be reborn as a space of communication and culture, not one symbolizing disruption and lagging behind.”
Rep. Yoo said he would devote himself to developing policies related to moving Gyeongbu Line’s urban sections underground and conducting related legislative activities.
In the first half of the year, Rep. Yoo served as a senior member of the National Assembly Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. A due diligence subcommittee of the committee needs to be formed.
In the second half of the year, Rep. Yoo said he is working as a senior member of the National Assembly Strategy and Finance Committee together with Chairman Park Dae-chul. Efforts to increase the nation’s population are the foremost national task, he noted.
Prices have already surged 6.3 percent as of now, topping 4.7 percent in 2008, Rep. Yoo said. He said prices are predicted to peak in September and October. Gas rates are indexed according to fuel costs, but electricity rates are not indexed.
KEPCO is required to redouble management innovation, he said. Crude prices plunged from $127 per barrel to $89.9 now, and Russia’s war with Ukraine, coupled with seasonal factors could influence food and fresh food price hikes.
The national economy is predicted to grow between 2.6 percent and 3 percent due to the sagging global economy, Rep. Yoo said. All sectors, including raw materials, parts and equipment segments, need to be supported, and R&D would induce economic growth and create national wealth, he added.
The private sector needs massive investments in areas such as semiconductors, vaccines, batteries, bio, hydrogen mobility, robots and aerospace so they can become world-class industries on the back of the private sector-oriented national economy, Rep. Yoo said.
The government has to provide support to help the private sector a leeway in investment through regulatory reform of budget and financing, he said.
Excessive taxes such as inheritance tax and ownership taxes need to be normalized on top of the recovery of economic dynamics, strengthening of economic foundations and building of a virtuous cycle of investment and quality job creation, he added.
_대구도심구간 지하화 토론회.jpg)
