Sanseong Tunnel was constructed to connect Busan's western and eastern regions to alleviate chronic traffic congestion.
The Sanseong Tunnel is a 4.87 km-long urban long-span tunnel that pierces through Geumjeongsan Mountain in Busan to connect Buk-gu and Geumjeong-gu. Its opening reduced the travel time between the areas from approximately 31 minutes to under 10 minutes.
Tunnel excavation was conducted using the NATM (New Austrian Tunnelling Method). Developed in Austria in 1956, the NATM method is effective for enhancing durability and ensuring economical construction. This method is largely unaffected by soil and ground conditions, making its application broad—ranging from mountain tunnels in hard rock layers to urban underground tunnels. It is especially suited for terrain with many mountains like South Korea, and is thus utilized in most tunnel construction projects.