Yeongilman Bridge project faces route dispute in Pohang

The Yeongilman Bridge project in Pohang has faced an 18-year delay due to political disagreements over its route. While local politicians previously clashed over whether to pursue the original sea-based route or a more cost-effective hybrid option, the Korea Development Institute (KDI) is now considering a purely inland bypass route to reduce costs to approximately 2 trillion won.

The original sea route, intended to connect Donghae-myeon in Nam-gu to Heunghae-eup in Buk-gu, has seen its estimated cost rise from 3.2 trillion won to roughly 4 trillion won due to increased material costs. In response to the potential shift toward an inland route, Pohang city officials and local lawmakers have recently unified their stance to advocate for the sea-based or hybrid routes to preserve the project's symbolic and logistical value.

The final decision rests with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport following a review by the Ministry of Economy and Finance's Fiscal Project Evaluation Committee later this year.