Check the Expansion of Direct Transport Permitting for 3rd New Towns and Incheon Gyeyang Road Plans

Which additional roads were included in direct permitting management?

The Metropolitan Transport Commission convened a coordination meeting with the Seoul Regional Office of Construction and Management and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) to add two road projects from the Incheon Gyeyang transit plan to its direct oversight list.

The newly designated projects comprise the Gochon IC improvement project linking Gimpo and Gyeyang, as well as the Sangya Village bypass route servicing traffic flows north of Gyeyang. Both segments cross local municipal borders, presenting high risks of protracted administrative disputes.

With these additions, intensive direct permitting management for third-generation new towns now covers seven projects across Hanam Gyosan (three), Incheon Gyeyang (three), and Bucheon Daejang (one). The central ministry will exercise direct approval authority to shorten preparation periods leading up to construction.

Why was direct permitting expanded across the 3rd-generation new towns?

The expansion was prompted by the urgent need to narrow the gap between housing completions and core transport infrastructure readiness. Incheon Gyeyang, the fastest progressing of the third-generation public housing districts, begins initial resident move-ins in December this year.

However, the completion target for the Beolmal-ro widening project—Gyeyang's primary arterial corridor—has slipped to 2031. This mismatch creates acute risks of prolonged traffic congestion for early residents. Similar gaps loom in Namyangju Wangsuk and Hanam Gyosan, where regional railway links are projected to open three to four years after early move-ins.

To dismantle these bottlenecks, the central government is leveraging direct project approval powers granted under the revised Metropolitan Transport Act of October 2025. By bypassing months of multi-agency deadlock, authorities intend to synchronize road network expansion with housing handovers.

How do the major road projects compare in current progress?

The status of the seven priority road projects under direct management across third-generation new town districts is detailed below.

What upcoming schedules should residents track for move-ins and transport networks?

On October 26, the Metropolitan Transport Commission conducts a dedicated task force meeting with the Seoul Regional Office and LH to review engineering blueprints and licensing milestones for each corridor. Where inter-agency disagreements linger, central authorities plan to propose direct arbitration remedies.

In Incheon Gyeyang, officials are also reviewing temporary detours linking complex access roads with existing street grids to alleviate inconveniences for December arrivals. Projects in Hanam Gyosan and Bucheon Daejang will similarly advance to immediate central approvals once engineering designs conclude.

Look for the outcomes of the Metropolitan Transport Commission's October 26 task force meeting and subsequent project approval gazettes issued by the Seoul Regional Office. After the verification date of 2026-10-26, check updated releases from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the commission.