Gov`t to Start Daegu-Busan High-Speed Train Next Year

The government decided to start construction of the second phase of the Daegu-Busan Kyungbu high-speed train project next year, two years ahead of the original plan.

President Kim Dae-Jung instructed yesterday to start the construction, following the Minister of Construction and Transportation Yim In-Taek`s briefing on the early plan for the `second phase of the Kyungbu high-speed train` prior to the cabinet meeting yesterday.

President Kim instructed not to have any failure in `preparation for the early construction of the second phase of the Kyungbu high-speed train project, such as the establishment of budget`. "Try to make secondary economic effects by sufficiently utilizing equipments and human resources." said President Kim.

The government decided to start the second phase construction project since several state-initiated infrastructure projects, such as the West Coast Highway and the Daejeon-Jinju highways, are expected to be completed by the end of this year. Also, the decision followed the judgment that it would be desirable to start the major state-initiated projects ahead in order to revitalize the sagging economy.

The government anticipates that the completion of the second phase of the Kyungbu high-speed train will contribute to resolve the problems of transferring goods between Seoul and Busan, and to revitalize the economy in Youngnam region.

Once the new express railway linking Daegu and Busan is completed, it would take two hours and 15 minutes to travel from Seoul to Busan on the high-speed train.

The government originally planned to complete the first phase construction of the Seoul-Daegu by April 2004, and to use this railway linking as the high-speed railway. The government also planned to start the second phase construction of the Daegu-Kyungju-Busan railway in 2004 after opening existing Kyungbu railway by making it to electronic railway, and to complete the second phase in 2010.

Ja-Ryong Koo bonhong@donga.com