Kim Dong-geun, the People Power Party candidate for Uijeongbu mayor, on Friday presented "Uijeongbu, the Transportation Hub of Northern Gyeonggi" as his transportation vision for the ninth popularly elected term, unveiling four strategies and 22 key tasks. Kim, who is seeking reelection, pledged to "return 30 minutes of commuting time to citizens."
At a press conference held at the Uijeongbu City Hall press room that day, Kim emphasized, "Transportation is not simply about mobility but a matter of jobs and urban competitiveness," adding, "I will transform Uijeongbu from a bedroom town dependent on Seoul into a self-sufficient city." Currently, about 200,000 Uijeongbu citizens use public transportation, with 28% commuting to external areas including Seoul.
In the rail sector, Kim proposed extending Subway Line 8 to Uijeongbu, the early opening of the Great Train Express (GTX)-C line, double-tracking of Line 7, pushing for SRT extension, building a metropolitan transfer center, and establishing new stations on the Suburban Line. The plan aims to enhance accessibility to key metropolitan hubs and position the city as a transportation hub in northern Gyeonggi Province.
In the bus sector, he will pursue the expansion of regional express buses, full expansion of student-only school buses, the introduction of Uijeongbu circular buses, operation of customized shared commuter buses, and strengthened mobility support for the transportation-disadvantaged.
For road network expansion, Kim will address chronic congestion areas through the widening of Songchu-gil on National Route 39, a connecting road between Gosan and Millak, the construction of a road in front of Yeongseok High School in the Yonghyeon Industrial Complex, the new Jangam-Gosan-Millak Surak Tunnel, and a new Hoeryong Interchange.
For lifestyle-oriented transportation measures, he proposed expanding public parking lots by 15 locations, broader sharing of public institution and private parking facilities, and AI-based traffic signal system improvements.
Kim cited his achievements during the eighth popularly elected term, including pushing for the start of construction on the GTX-C line, laying the groundwork for the Line 8 extension, pursuing double-tracking of Line 7, adding new metropolitan bus routes and increasing services, and securing budget for a new light rail station at the legal complex.
"If the past four years were a time to build the foundation for transportation innovation, the next four years will be a time to complete changes that citizens can feel," Kim said. "Changing transportation means returning citizens' time and transforming the city's future."
