Editing Jeolla Line (section)

===Upgrade===<!-- [[Korea Train Express#Further upgrades of connecting conventional lines]] links here-->

The upgrade of the Iksan-Suncheon section started with the construction of a bypass around Jeonju with wider curves, opened in 1981.

From 1989, the first phase of the project to re-lay and double-track the line, mostly in a new alignment with wider curves, longer tunnels and bridges, was launched on three sections between Sin-ri, at the end of the Jeonju realignment, and Suncheon. The two longest new structures were the {{Convert|5,671|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} long<ref name="Railnews2004">{{cite web|url=http://railnews.korail.go.kr/20040801/00532.html |script-title=ko:전라선 복선화 16년간의 대장정, 한국철도 지도를 바꾸다! |language=ko |date=2004-08-01 |work=Railnews |publisher=[[Korail]] |access-date=2010-11-04 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Byeongpung Tunnel, north of [[Suncheon station|Suncheon]], and the {{Convert|6,128|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} long Seulchi Tunnel, south of [[Jeonju Station|Jeonju]], which became South Korea's longest rail tunnel,<ref name="Railnews2004"/> surpassing Jeongam Tunnel on the [[Taebaek Line]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.investkorea.org/InvestKoreaWar/work/ik/eng/bo/bo_01.jsp?no=610190001&bno=711290029&sort_num=130&code=102050104010101010101010101010101&mode=bbs&url_info=./bbs_read.jsp&l_unit=90202&m_unit=&s_unit=&page=11&sel=title&val= |title=From the coal transportation hub to the four-season leisure and sports gateway - Gohan Station (Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do). |date=2007-11-21 |publisher=InvestKorea |access-date=2010-11-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008010531/http://www.investkorea.org/InvestKoreaWar/work/ik/eng/bo/bo_01.jsp?no=610190001&bno=711290029&sort_num=130&code=102050104010101010101010101010101&mode=bbs&url_info=.%2Fbbs_read.jsp&l_unit=90202&m_unit=&s_unit=&page=11&sel=title&val= |archive-date=2011-10-08 }}</ref> The three sections of the first phase with altogether {{convert|64.3|km|abbr=on}}, shortening the original route by {{convert|16.7|km|abbr=on}}, were finished by 1999 and entered service on 18 May 1999.<ref name="Railnews2004"/> The two gaps between those sections were plugged in a second phase in 2002 and August 2004, the altogether {{convert|58.3|km|abbr=on}} long new sections shortened the line by another {{convert|11.4|km|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Railnews2004"/>

The third phase of the upgrading project, started in 2002, involved the double-tracking of the remaining {{convert|35.2|km|abbr=on}} long single-track section from Iksan to Sin-ri, until the end of the Jeonju realignment, and electrification of the entire double-tracked and re-aligned section from Iksan to Suncheon, altogether {{convert|154.2|km|abbr=on}},<ref name="KRNA_2010-1">{{cite web |url=http://www.krnetwork.or.kr/service/condition/RouteMapView.do?PA_MAP_ID=12381 |title=전라선 복선전철화 |publisher=Korea Rail Network Authority |access-date=2010-10-24}}</ref> to allow speeds of {{convert|180|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="irj-future">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.railjournal.com/altfeature1.shtml |title=Korea's railways face a bright future |date=2008-07-01 |magazine=[[International Railway Journal]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416195911/http://www.railjournal.com/altfeature1.shtml |archive-date=2009-04-16 |access-date=2010-08-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> By March 2010, progress on the {{convert|154.2|km|abbr=on}} section from Iksan to Suncheon reached 63.0%.<ref name="KRNA_2010-1"/>  This phase of the project is implemented as a public private partnership of the Build-Transfer-Lease (BTL) method, with a government contribution of 510.852 billion won and a BTL share of 470.699 billion won.<ref name="KRNA_2010-1"/>  The upgrade and re-alignment of the final Suncheon-Yeosu section was launched as a separate project in 2001,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mayor.yeosu.go.kr/home/mayor/promise/work/show/27?page=1&search=&keyword=&cate_sel= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140105095050/http://mayor.yeosu.go.kr/home/mayor/promise/work/show/27?page=1&search=&keyword=&cate_sel= |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-01-05 |script-title=ko:지역 현안 사업 |language=ko |publisher=Mayor of Yeosu's office |access-date=2010-11-12 }}</ref> with work starting in December 2003.<ref name="rgi-korailplans">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/south-koreas-growing-network.html |title=South Korea's growing network |date=2008-09-08 |magazine=[[Railway Gazette International]] |access-date=2010-08-29 |archive-date=2012-12-05 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205072403/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/south-koreas-growing-network.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of March 2010, progress on the {{convert|40.0|km|abbr=on}} long alignment stood at 88.0% out of a total budget of 732.002 billion won.<ref name="KRNA_2010-2">{{cite web |url=http://www.krnetwork.or.kr/service/condition/RouteMapView.do?PA_MAP_ID=12379 |title=순천~여수 복선전철 |publisher=Korea Rail Network Authority |access-date=2010-10-24}}</ref>  The entire upgrading project is to be completed in 2011.<ref name="KRNA_2010-1"/><ref name="KRNA_2010-2"/>

On September 1, 2010, the South Korean government announced a strategic plan to reduce travel times from Seoul to 95% of the country to under 2 hours by 2020. As part of the plan, the Jeolla Line is to be further upgraded for {{convert|230|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="plans2020">{{cite web |url=http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2925474 |title=Bullet trains coming to a town near you by 2020 |date=2010-09-02 |publisher=[[JoongAng Daily]] |access-date=2010-10-27}}</ref>