President Yoon Suk Yeol marked the partial opening of Line A of the Great Train eXpress(GTX) high-speed commuter rail network on Friday, calling March 29 the day of the transportation revolution after the openings of the Gyeongbu Expressway in 1970 and the KTX bullet train in 2004.
At the opening of the GTX-A section linking Seoul's Suseo Station and Dongtan Station in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Yoon said he anticipated the rail network to bring a revolutionary change to people's lives and municipal competitiveness.
The president said reducing commuting time from more than 80 minutes via intercity bus to 20 minutes via GTX is expected to allow families to spend more time together and find more free time in their daily lives.
Once Line A is in full operation, linking the key industrial bases of Paju, Ilsan, Pangyo and Yongin in the capital region, Yoon expects the network to attract talented personnel and investments, while developments near the new stations help ease the housing shortage.
Yoon pledged to reduce the train fare through the "K-Pass" public transportation discount program and transfer discounts within the capital region. The president also reaffirmed his will to push for the extension of the GTX network nationwide.