The southern island of Jeju is showing negative over the possible construction of underground high-speed train services connecting the island with South Jeolla Province.
Governor Kim Tae-hwan Monday said "The immediate priority for Jeju is the construction of a new international airport."
He expressed concerns that the establishment of KTX services to the southwestern province may hamper state support for the airport.
The remark came after the National Assembly approved on Dec. 31 a 1-billion-won budget for a feasibility study on the possible Honam-Jeju Underground KTX line, a pet project of lawmakers representing South Jeolla Province. The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs will conduct the study sometime this year.
The project entails building three separate lines ― a 66-kilometer line from Mokpo to Haenam, a 28-kilometer line from Haenam to Bogil Island and a 73-kilometer line from Bogil Island to Chuja Island to Jeju.
The last would be linked via an undersea tunnel.
If connected to major railway lines across the Honam region and the rest of the country, major inland cities and Jeju would be connected by train for the first time.
It would take 2 hours and 26 minutes to get to Jeju from Seoul by KTX.
Jeju officials said that they were not consulted by the ministry or the South Jeolla provincial administration regarding the project.
The Korea Transport Institute first conceived the project in 2007, and since then it has been gaining the attention of experts and politicians.
However, authorities are cautious because of the associated costs and the duration of construction.