Issue Repeated delays in transmission lines to Korea's capital region amid local acceptance conflicts

Summary

Korea's power grid has not kept pace with new generation, and transmission links to the capital region have repeatedly slipped. The government extended the construction period of the east coast line to Singapyeong from June 2026 to June 2027, so completion is now expected at the end of 2027 rather than in October 2026. The line to Dongseoul can meet its December 2027 schedule only if a conflict with the local government over expanding the Dongseoul converter station, rooted in resident acceptance, is resolved. Lines linking the Honam region with the capital are to be completed in stages only from 2031, so coal plants on the west and south coasts also face curtailment. A west coast line completed in April 2025 eased some restrictions but falls far short of relieving transmission limits into the capital region.