HONGSEONG — South Chungcheong Province is set for a major expansion of its road network, giving momentum to balanced regional development and to the province's industrial and logistics competitiveness.
Hong Jong-wan, administrative vice governor of South Chungcheong Province, told a news conference on the 27th that eight of the province's projects among the candidate projects for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 6th National Highway and National Support Local Road Construction Plan (2026-2030) had cleared a batch preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Planning and Budget.
The five-year plan for national highways and national support local roads is a national plan drawn up by the land ministry every five years. Projects with total costs of 50 billion won or more, including at least 30 billion won in state funding, must pass a preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Planning and Budget to be included in the plan.
The eight approved projects, worth a combined 1.1609 trillion won (about $840 million), are Dangjin Jeongmi-Songak (159.3 billion won), Gongju Sinyeong-Mungeum (138.9 billion won), Cheonan Byeongcheon-Bukmyeon (97.5 billion won), Asan Yeomchi-Eumbong (171.3 billion won), Asan Dunpo-Pyeongtaek Paengseong (80.6 billion won), Boryeong Nampo-Sinheuk (123.6 billion won), Nonsan Eunjin-Bujeok (282.2 billion won) and Cheongyang Namyang-Cheongyang (107.5 billion won).
The total is 153.7 billion won more than the 1.0072 trillion won reflected in the fifth plan, the largest amount the province has secured.
The province said it will concentrate its administrative efforts on getting projects left out of the sixth plan — Taean Iwon-Seosan Daesan, Cheonan Baebang-Mokcheon, Boryeong Jusan-Ungcheon and Asan Geosan-Yugok — included in the next national plan.
"We will do our utmost in follow-up steps, such as securing design funding, so that the expansion of the road network can proceed without setbacks in ways residents can feel," Hong said.
