Cheongju City requests renaming of KTX Osong Station to 'Cheongju Osong Station'

Cheongju City is making a renewed push to rename the KTX Osong Station to 'Cheongju Osong Station,' a move championed as a priority project for the current mayoral administration. The city aims to enhance user convenience and ensure consistency in the naming of high-speed rail stations.

City officials are preparing to present their case to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport next month. They will highlight public opinion and the rationale behind the proposed change, seeking a re-evaluation of the station's name. The ministry had previously deferred a decision on the renaming in January of last year.

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We are pushing for the renaming of the KTX Osong Station to 'Cheongju Osong Station' as one of the key projects for the 9th popularly elected administration. It is a public task to enhance user convenience and secure consistency in the high-speed rail station name system.

This is not the first attempt to alter the station's name. Osong Station was considered for the 'Cheongju Osong Station' name in 2010, but 'Osong Station' was ultimately chosen. Subsequent efforts in 2014 and 2018 failed due to resident opposition. However, recent surveys indicate a significant shift in public sentiment. A November 2022 poll of 1,000 rail users showed 63.7% preferred 'Cheongju Osong Station,' while 78.1% of Cheongju citizens supported the change.

Cheongju City argues that station names should incorporate the names of their respective municipalities. Han Hye-sook, an official from the city's metropolitan transportation team, pointed out that Osong Station is a unique junction on the Gyeongbu and Honam lines that lacks a local government name. She cited precedents like the renaming of Songjeong Station to 'Gwangju Songjeong Station' and Jije Station to 'Pyeongtaek Jije Station' as examples of similar changes that could be applied to Osong Station.

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Osong Station is a junction station where the Gyeongbu and Honam lines pass, but it is the only station that does not include the name of a local government. We hope 'Osong Station' will also be changed to 'Cheongju Osong Station,' similar to the cases where 'Songjeong Station' was changed to 'Gwangju Songjeong Station' in 2009 and 'Jije Station' to 'Pyeongtaek Jije Station' in 2020.