en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Uijeongbu City Job Transition Committee in Gyeonggi Province has decided to fully reassess the feasibility of large-scale investment projects, including the construction of the Minrak-Gosan connecting road. The committee stated on the 23rd that, considering the city's financial situation, it is necessary to examine the funding feasibility of social overhead capital (SOC) and sports facility projects worth tens to hundreds of billions of won.
The Minrak-Gosan connecting road project includes a 700-meter tunnel through Buryongsan, with a total length of 1.2 kilometers and a width of 20 meters. The estimated total project cost as of 2024 was 55.6 billion won. Due to the separation of the Minrak and Gosan areas by Buryongsan, residents had to travel 4 to 5 kilometers to move between the two areas, prompting the 8th elected administration to push forward the road construction. Subsequently, Uijeongbu City analyzed that the road construction would require lifting development restriction zones and addressing environmental, disaster, and safety issues, potentially increasing the project cost to over 70 billion won.
The transition committee explained that for the Minrak-Gosan connecting road, whose project cost has increased compared to initial estimates, there are opinions that current financial conditions and project feasibility should be considered, with a comprehensive review of phased implementation plans and funding strategies. The new Uijeongbu Gymnasium project, worth hundreds of billions of won, also requires objective verification of its necessity and financial burden. The gymnasium was previously the home venue for the men's professional volleyball team KB Insurance, and in 2024, a precision diagnosis rated the roof safety at the lowest level. Uijeongbu City had planned roof reinforcement work, but due to the facility being 30 years old, aging, and structurally complex, it shifted to a plan for demolition and reinstallation. Additionally, the regional sports center construction project, which has been delayed for years, has also been included in the list of projects under review.
After recently analyzing Uijeongbu City's financial structure and future fiscal conditions, the transition committee determined that a comprehensive reassessment of large-scale investment projects is necessary. The results showed that overall fiscal revenue is highly dependent on external sources, and financial conditions are expected to worsen further. According to financial projection data received by the transition committee from Uijeongbu City, there is a shortfall of 13 billion won in available resources for the second half of this year alone. From next year to 2030, an annual funding gap of 21.4 billion to 35.5 billion won is expected. When including the contribution for the Dobongsan-Okjeong wide-area railway construction, the analysis shows a deficit of 48.4 billion won next year and 58 billion won in 2028. Transition Committee Chairman Lee Jae-joon stated that even if projects are necessary for citizens, if the finances cannot bear them, they will ultimately become a burden on future generations. He emphasized the need to prioritize welfare, livelihood, and transportation sectors directly related to citizens' lives, while re-examining projects with unclear funding strategies from the ground up to create sustainable municipal governance.
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