The National Assembly's audit of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and the Korea Railroad Corporation is set to take place on October 13. Although high-speed rail ridership increased by 12% in the first month of KTX and SRT integration compared to the previous year, safety management and the scheduling of major rail projects remain under scrutiny.
According to the rail industry, KORAIL and SR reported that 9.36 million passengers used high-speed trains last month, marking a 12% increase from the same period last year. The average daily ridership rose from 279,000 to 312,000, an increase of 33,000.
Ridership on the Suwon line increased by 28%, from an average of 68,000 to 87,000 passengers per day, while the Seoul and Yongsan lines saw a 7% rise, from 210,000 to 225,000. The total seat supply averaged 271,000 per day, up 7% from last year's 253,000.
Despite these integration achievements, rail safety is a major focus of the upcoming audit. On August 29, a KORAIL employee was killed after being struck by a train while working on freight operations at Uiwang Station. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, there have been three fatalities and seven injuries during freight operations over the past decade.
KORAIL allocated 2.1313 trillion won to rail safety last year, but safety incidents exceeded the target of 116, with 137 reported, a 9.6% increase from 125 the previous year. Fatalities rose from eight to eleven, a 37.5% increase, while operational disruptions increased from 93 to 103, a 10.8% rise.
In response to the Uiwang Station incident, the government has decided to prohibit external boarding during reverse shunting operations and to expand the use of rear cameras and wireless control systems. Currently, a wireless control system is operational at three locations, including Yeongju, Gwaedong, and Jecheon, with plans to implement it at ten of the sixteen freight stations by July 2027, including Uiwang Station by the first half of 2028.
The Korea Railroad Corporation is also expected to face scrutiny regarding the scheduling of major rail projects. The Shinansan Line, for instance, was originally scheduled for completion between 2016 and 2026, but as of the end of last month, the overall completion rate stood at only 75.61%. The section where the accident occurred has a completion rate of 68.85%. Although recovery work has recently resumed following the Gwangmyeong collapse, the timeline for full tunnel restoration remains uncertain.
Vehicle delivery schedules are also a concern. Hyundai Rotem is set to supply 31 sets of Shinansan Line trains, totaling 93 cars, with a final delivery deadline of December 2028. After the vehicles are delivered, testing and facility verification will be necessary, making the timeline for the line's opening a topic of discussion during the audit.
There are also scheduling issues with the GTX-C line. The government initially aimed for a late 2028 opening, but construction only began on September 15, pushing the target back to late 2031.
Rail experts emphasize the need for ongoing performance management following the integration of high-speed rail services. The Korea Transport Institute highlighted the necessity for strict performance management in a special report last month, noting the increase in ridership and seat supply in the first month of integration. The upcoming audit will likely focus on the sustainability of these benefits, as well as overall rail safety and service quality.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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