GTX-A Non-Stop Passage at Samseong Station Delayed to First Half of Next Year... Nearly a Year Behind Schedule

The non-stop passage of trains through Samseong Station on the Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX)-A line is expected to be delayed by nearly a year, moving from the original target of late June this year to the first half of next year.

Amidst the inevitability of reinforcement work following the widespread omission of reinforcing bars in Samseong Station pillars, the government plans to finalize its ultimate decision within the year, even considering the possibility of demolition and reconstruction.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it is currently conducting a joint government inspection and verification of reinforcement plans by a specialized institution (the Korea Concrete Institute) regarding the construction errors at Samseong Station, with plans to finalize a definitive alternative within the year.

The ministry stated that it held a comprehensive inspection meeting on October 30 with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the国家철도공단 (Korea National Railway), and the joint government inspection team to discuss future plans.

Since May 21, the joint government inspection team has been investigating the appropriateness of design and construction, as well as fire and electrical safety, across sections 1 through 4, including section 3 of the Yeongdong-daero underground complex development project where the omission of reinforcing bars was confirmed.

During the inspection process utilizing 3D analysis, additional shortcomings were discovered, such as insufficient concrete cover thickness and issues regarding bearing strength, and reinforcement measures are currently under discussion.

The pillar reinforcement plans, which initially included 12 options such as the steel plate reinforcement method proposed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, have been narrowed down to two.

These are the cross-section enlargement method using high-strength mortar (along with rebar arrangement) and the composite reinforcement method combining this with steel plate reinforcement.

The Korea Concrete Institute judged that applying existing steel plate reinforcement cases as-is is difficult due to the insufficient structural strength of the pillars caused by the massive omission of reinforcing bars, and it is currently verifying the performance of reinforcement materials through actual model tests.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that it is keeping the possibility of demolition and reconstruction open, and will comprehensively consider safety, constructability, and construction period to finalize the ultimate alternative.

However, an official from the ministry noted that the possibility of reconstruction is not viewed as high.

The non-stop passage through Samseong Station was originally targeted for late June this year, while complete opening, including stops at Samseong Station, was aimed for 2028.

The ministry projected that if reinforcement work is carried out, construction could begin in December, allowing for non-stop passage by the first half of next year following test operations.

Plans to run construction and test operations concurrently to shorten the schedule are also under review.

The ministry plans to take administrative measures, such as imposing penalty points for violations identified during the inspections, and aims to advance the timing of the GTX-A Samseong Station non-stop passage as much as possible in consultation with related organizations.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.