The much-anticipated KTX-Eum train, set to begin operations on December 20, will connect Seoul’s Cheongnyangni Station to Busan’s Bujeon Station.
However, the train’s limited station stops have left several local governments in Busan, including Haeundae-gu, Gijang-gun, and Dongnae-gu, disappointed after their bids to host a stop were unsuccessful.
According to the timetable released by KORAIL on December 14, the KTX-Eum will pass through Taehwagang Station in Ulsan before heading directly to Bujeon Station in Busan, bypassing all other stations in the region.
The decision was revealed without prior public announcement, frustrating local officials who had actively campaigned to be included in the route.
Local governments had high hopes for inclusion on the KTX-Eum route, organizing support events, collecting signatures, and submitting feasibility studies to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.
Despite their efforts, the Ministry and KORAIL cited a lack of available trains as the primary reason for limiting station stops in the train’s initial operational phase.
Currently, only six of the 18 KTX-Eum trains will operate between Taehwagang and Bujeon. Officials explained that this is due to constraints in signaling equipment and an insufficient number of trains ready for service.
The Ministry plans to expand the train’s operation once more trains are introduced and infrastructure improvements are completed, with full-scale operations expected by late 2025.
Busan’s excluded local governments expressed deep regret but remain determined to secure a station stop in the future.
