The government has confirmed its initial plan to connect the western Gyeonggi provincial cities of Gimpo and Bucheon in the Great Train eXpress, or GTX, line in the Seoul metro area despite calls from residents for changes to the plans that would link the line to the Gangnam area in southern Seoul. 

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport convened a railroad industry committee meeting on Tuesday and finalized the fourth national railway construction project that outlines  the nation's future railroad expansion plans through 2030. 

Under the confirmed project, the GTX-D line will connect Janggi in Gimpo to Bucheon Stadium in Bucheon as initially announced. Many residents in the western Seoul metropolitan area  objected to the project when it was initially unveiled in April, and called on state planners to expand the prospective express line to include Gangnam and Eastern Gyeonggi Provincial city of Hanam.  

In response, the ministry said on Tuesday it is instead considering linking the GTX-D line to the GTX-B line, which will span from Songdo, Incheon to Maseok in northeastern Gyeonggi, to provide more options for the western metropolitan residents to commute to Seoul. 

Meanwhile, the government additionally confirmed a four-point-five trillion won project to build a nearly 200 kilometer-long railroad connecting Daegu and Gwangju.