Daegu's Nam-gu District Office has announced its intention to proceed with the Apsan Monorail installation project, which has been met with strong opposition from civic groups. The district office aims to begin construction by the end of next year, but faces continued resistance from environmental groups and some members of the Nam-gu District Council, who express concerns about environmental damage and economic viability.

The project, initiated in 2021 as part of Mayor Jo Jae-gu's pledge to develop Apsan into a tourist destination, involves constructing a 2.8km round-trip monorail between Gosangol and Gangdanggol at a cost of 14.3 billion won.

Despite previous setbacks due to budget constraints and public opposition, the district office has reaffirmed its commitment to the project, targeting a late 2026 start for construction and completion by late 2027. This marks a delay of over three years from the initial completion target set in the basic project plan.

The delay has been attributed to various controversies, including an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection concerning the Apsan Sunset Camping Ground project, which was also managed by the same department overseeing the monorail. The audit disrupted the monorail project's timeline, according to the district office.

However, the project is facing challenges from the outset, particularly in securing funding. Currently, the district office has secured 6.7 billion won of the total 14.3 billion won required, including 3.4 billion won from the Local Extinction Response Fund, with the remainder coming from district funds, special grants, and special tax grants.

Critics argue that using funds intended to combat population decline for a monorail project is inappropriate. 1  The Nam-gu District Council previously reduced the budget from 7 billion won to 3.5 billion won in 2021, citing insufficient explanation from the district office.

Kim Jae-gyeom, a member of the Daegu Nam-gu District Council, pointed out that many local governments have had to halt or dismantle monorail operations due to malfunctions or poor profitability. He questioned the uniqueness of a monorail along a hiking trail, suggesting that investing in parks and local cuisine would be more effective in increasing visitor dwell time.

The project also faces significant administrative hurdles, including cultural property impact assessments and disaster and environmental impact assessments. The district office spent over a year completing a small-scale environmental impact assessment due to opposition from civic groups and related organizations concerned about environmental damage. The subsequent process to revise the park development plan took nearly three years.

The Nam-gu District Office maintains that the monorail will provide access to the ecological environment for those with mobility issues and increase visitor dwell time.

A district office representative stated, "After passing the Daegu City Park Committee review in September last year and revising the park development plan in November, we have completed the feasibility review by passing the environmental impact assessment. Our goal is to begin construction by the end of next year by completing the necessary procedures, including vehicle selection, new technology review, and cultural property impact assessment."

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