Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has organized an on-site briefing session to foreign diplomats and foreign correspondents on 13th at GTX Seoul Station site.

he Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Minister Park Sang-woo) is promoting the GTX project, which is being promoted as a key national task of the government. Promotion and sharing of technical experience of TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) method is also aimed.

This on-site briefing session was held by foreign media interested in the ‘deep-seated railway project’ and the ‘TBM method’. After conducting a demand survey of reporters and diplomats at diplomatic missions in Korea.

Following attendants:

Diplomats: About 10 people from 5 countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the UK, Egypt, Japan, and the Czech Republic 

News agencies and correspondents: Bloomberg L.P. (USA), Epoch Times (USA), NNA (Japan), Golden Bridge (China), Sputnik (Russia). About 10 people from 8 media outlets, including Central News Agency (Taiwan), Arirang International Broadcasting (Korea), and Korea JoongAng Daily (Korea)

Topics

Deep Railroad Project

To overcome the physical limitations of above-ground and underground spaces in the overcrowded metropolitan area, underground This is a project to operate an express railway by excavating a deep tunnel of 40m or less.

Minimization of contact with obstacles and interference with private land, and optimizing route design (straight line). A business that operates trains with a maximum speed of 100 km/h (maximum 180 km/h) 

TBM method 

When excavating a tunnel, excavation is performed using a specially designed machine instead of blasting with gunpowder. The use of the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) method is increasing worldwide.

The TBM method produces less noise and vibration and is relatively safer than the blasting method. The construction period can be shortened due to the high excavation speed.

GTX is designed to overcome the spatial constraints of overcrowded cities by operating over 40m underground. It is a new concept public transportation project that operates an express railway by excavating a deep tunnel.

Peru, Colombia, El Salvador, etc. are highly interested in building their own urban railways. has already expressed high interest in Korea's GTX business. 

Counselor Tadahiro Shigemi of the Japanese Embassy in Korea is scheduled to attend the briefing session. “Currently, deep tunnel construction for the construction of linear motor cars is underway in Japan. In progress, policy discussions related to undergrounding of highways are also active. “It’s in progress,” he said.

Japan’s urban transportation policy and It is expected that good lessons can be learned that can be used as a reference for the deep tunnel project. “I think so,” he said.

Participants in the briefing session were GTX-A Seoul Station will visit the site and go down 60m underground to directly see the station and tunnel section. Participants will receive a detailed explanation of the TBM method, and there will also be a question and answer session. Yoon Jin-hwan, Director of the Railway Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, “To relieve traffic problems in the complex city center, various measures are being taken.” As the country shows great interest in the deep-seated railway project and TBM construction method, Based on our government’s GTX promotion experience and technology, international cooperation in the railway field is also possible. “We will actively pursue it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is ahead of the opening of the GTX-A ‘Suseo-Dongtan’ section on March 30.

https://www.molit.go.kr/USR/NEWS/m_71/dtl.jsp?lcmspage=2&id=95089524