Chungcheongnam-do

▲ Underwater Tunnel Scenic Illumination Inaugural Event

Ranked 5th in the world and boasting the longest underwater tunnel in the country, the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel in Chungnam radiates a charcoal-toned scenery and embraces the enigma of the West Sea.
 
According to the authorities, on the 14th, the Daejeon Regional Land and Housing Administration held an event for the "Scenic Illumination" near the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel in Sinheuk-dong, Boryeong City, unveiling its full-scale operation.
 
Amid the presence of around 200 individuals, including Governor Kim Tae-heum, Director Eom Jeong-hee of the Daejeon Regional Land and Housing Administration, Representative Seong Il-jong, and local residents, the event proceeded with Governor Kim's welcoming speech, the lighting performance, and the tunnel drive.
 
The scenic illumination of the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel was introduced due to feedback indicating that the tunnel's interior landscape was indistinguishable from a regular tunnel, failing to convey the notion of being an underwater tunnel. Addressing the criticism of monotony, a total of 4 billion KRW was invested over 7 months since January to implement this lighting concept.
 
While there have been instances of installing scenic lighting within tunnels to prevent driver fatigue or alleviate boredom, the incorporation of media art for providing visual interest is a first-time endeavor for a domestic underwater tunnel, specifically the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel.
 
The installation spans a total of 1400 meters, including three sections of 650 meters from Boryeong to Wonsando direction, and three sections of 750 meters from Wonsando to Boryeong direction.
 
The media art on the Boryeong-to-Wonsando direction is realized through a projection method that casts images onto the tunnel ceiling.
 
To create a refreshing atmosphere that gives the sensation of peering into the underwater world, a captivating scene is staged, featuring images of marine life, including fish.
 
On the Wonsando-to-Boryeong direction, an LED media facade technique is employed, skillfully and vividly presenting the tourist resources, attractions of the West Sea coastline, and sunsets.
 
Both of these media art display systems are expected to allow local authorities to create content and projections, potentially being utilized for future applications such as regional tourism and promoting local specialties.
 
During the event, Governor Kim Tae-heum expressed his profound affection for the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel, stating, "During my tenure as Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, I proposed the installation of lighting to enhance the underwater experience and lowered the project cost to less than 500 billion KRW, allowing the construction of the underwater tunnel through a turnkey approach."
 
Governor Kim further emphasized, "By taking the first step through the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel to establish a grand vision of creating an international maritime leisure tourism belt centered around Wonsando and Anmyeondo, we will move forward to complete the vision through initiatives such as developing Wonsando into a global maritime leisure tourism city, promoting Anmyeondo as a tourist destination, and enhancing the Garorim Bay National Marine Garden."
 
Commencing in December 2010, the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel was constructed with a total project cost of 488.1 billion KRW, involving the creation of two tunnels with two lanes each for both directions.
 
The tunnel spans a length of 6.927 kilometers, connecting from Daecheon Port (Sinheuk-dong, Boryeong City) to Wonsando (Wonsando-ri, Ocheon-myeon, Boryeong City).
 
This length exceeds the previous longest domestic tunnel, the Incheon North Harbor Underwater Tunnel (5.46 kilometers), by approximately 1.5 kilometers.
 
On a global scale among underwater tunnels, it ranks as the fifth longest, trailing behind the Tokyo Aqua-Line in Japan (9.5 kilometers), and the Norwegian tunnels such as the Bommestad Tunnel (7.9 kilometers), Aker Sandsundet Tunnel (7.8 kilometers), and Oslofjord Tunnel (7.2 kilometers).
 
In comparison to above-ground tunnels in South Korea, the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel is the third longest, following the Inje-Yangyang Expressway Inje-Yangyang Tunnel (10.96 kilometers) and the Donghae Expressway Yangbuk 1 Tunnel (7.54 kilometers).
 
The Boryeong Underwater Tunnel is situated at a depth of 55 meters from the seabed and 80 meters from the sea surface, making it the deepest among domestic tunnels.
 
The Wonsan-Anmyeon Bridge, connecting Wonsando and Anmyeondo (Gonam-ri, Ganam-myeon, Taean-gun), was inaugurated in December 2019.
 
This maritime bridge, spanning 1.75 kilometers, required a total project cost of 208.2 billion KRW for the connecting road stretching up to 4.35 kilometers.
 
With the opening of the Boryeong Underwater Tunnel and the maritime bridge, the travel distance between Boryeong Daecheon Port and Taean Yeongmok Port has been significantly reduced from 75 kilometers to 14 kilometers, resulting in a substantial reduction in travel time from around 90 minutes to the 10-minute range.
 
 
Department of Roads, Railways, and Aviation, Road Policy Team
phone number: 041-635-4674