Jinju Passenger Terminal Development Project ‘On Track’

Jinju City in Gyeongsangnam-do announced on the 1st that the Jinju Passenger Terminal Development Project, which will serve as a foundation for the city’s development into a central hub for a 1 million-person living zone in the southern-central region of Gyeongsangnam-do, is progressing as planned and is expected to enter full-scale construction, including site preparation, next year. The city is seeking to establish Jinju as a transportation hub serving a 1 million-person living zone in the southern-central part of Gyeongsangnam-do, through projects including the early construction of the Nam-Bu Inland Railway, the electrification of the Jinju–Gwangyang section of the Gyeongjeon Line, the development of the station-area district, and the expansion of the metropolitan transportation network. The passenger terminal development project is a key component of these efforts. The passenger terminal development project underwent deliberation by the Gyeongsangnam-do Urban Planning Committee, and the designation of the urban development district and establishment of the development plan were officially announced in December 2019. Administrative procedures, including consultations on compensation and consent with landowners, have been underway since April this year. Accordingly, the city plans to complete the designation of the project operator and approval of the implementation plan in the second half of this year, and begin site preparation work next year. The Jinju Passenger Terminal Development Project was originally designated as an urban planning facility in 2005, but faced difficulties due to challenges in securing funding. Following a call for project proposals in 2015, STS Development Co., Ltd. was selected as the private investor in 2016. Under an agreement subsequently reached between the city and the private investor, the private sector will provide the full project funding, while Jinju City will support the project by facilitating administrative procedures and other necessary processes. In July 2017, the city submitted an application to Gyeongsangnam-do for the designation of the urban development district and establishment of the development plan. It then completed consultations with relevant departments and agencies and addressed requests for revisions from the provincial government through December 2018. In April 2019, the city applied for consultation with the Central Land Tribunal and obtained its consent in September of the same year. A city official said, “We are concentrating our administrative resources on the passenger terminal development project and doing our utmost to carry out the necessary administrative procedures, including seeking the understanding of landowners, in order to minimize inconvenience to citizens as well as passengers from cities and counties across western Gyeongsangnam-do and provide a more pleasant environment.” Meanwhile, the Jinju Passenger Terminal Development Project will be developed in Gaho-dong, across from Jeongchon Elementary School and adjacent to the Jinju Interchange. The project will relocate the aging and undersized intercity bus terminal in Jangdae-dong and the express bus terminal in Chilam-dong to the new site.