Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon advances underground highway project and seeks national aid for aging infrastructure

Seoul city has allocated a supplementary budget of 3 billion KRW to launch a contract for the “Gangbuk crossing underground highway” study, with the full 10 billion KRW estimate to be funded through next year’s budget. The plan will bury about 20.5 km of internal‑circulation road and the northern arterial road in a six‑lane tunnel, eliminating existing elevated highways and aiming to ease chronic traffic congestion, improve urban scenery and enhance safety. The mayor, Oh Se‑hoon, highlighted the project as a key element of his “return to a thriving North Seoul” pledge.

In a separate meeting with Planning Minister Park Hong‑geun, Mayor Oh urged the central government to expand national funding for Seoul’s severely aged infrastructure. More than half of the city’s roads, bridges and sewer pipes are over 30 years old, with subway electrical facilities on lines 5‑8 rated D in 71.7 % of cases. While other municipalities receive national aid for pipe renovation, Seoul is excluded, forcing the city to cover huge costs from its own budget and to bear a lower welfare subsidy rate than other regions. Oh called for decisive central‑government support to ensure public safety and the city’s competitiveness.