The Korea Expressway Corporation plans to invest 3.7 trillion won this year to timely open major highway routes and enhance safety management and maintenance systems using artificial intelligence (AI). The company also aims to improve the fee structure for rest areas and expand the foundation for future mobility, including autonomous driving and urban air mobility (UAM).
Yoo Jeong-hoon, president of the Korea Expressway Corporation, outlined these initiatives during a report to the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee on October 8.
The corporation will first strengthen highway safety management. It plans to use AI-based closed-circuit television (CCTV) to monitor compliance with safety regulations and identify major hazards in real-time, aiming to prevent workplace accidents. Additionally, it will increase on-site supervisory personnel and create work environments tailored for older and foreign workers.
Efforts will also be made to remodel aging highways and improve bridge performance. Advanced equipment will be utilized for precise road condition assessments, and measures to prevent cargo truck drop accidents will be enhanced.
The investment of 3.7 trillion won will support the government's 'Five Extremes and Three Specials' initiative by building a road network that supports logistics and advanced industries. The timely opening of key routes, such as Hamyang-Ulsan, will also contribute to job creation.
To enhance public convenience on highways, the corporation plans to improve connections between highways and public transportation, upgrade access roads, and install new interchanges. In response to recent controversies regarding rest area operations, it will work to improve the fee structure to enhance price and service competitiveness. Policies to alleviate user burdens, such as expanding toll reductions, will also be implemented.
The corporation has also proposed measures for collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It will support the use of AI by SMEs and their joint entry into overseas markets, while increasing transparency in the bidding and contracting process through live broadcasts on YouTube and public observation systems. Plans are in place to eradicate illegal subcontracting and ensure timely payments in construction sites.
Furthermore, the corporation is pursuing ways to utilize highways as infrastructure for AI and future mobility. It aims to attract AI data centers by leveraging highway infrastructure and connecting them to power grids to support national mega-projects. A system will be established to conduct precise inspections of road paving using AI equipment and to detect emergencies in real-time for rapid response.
Lastly, the corporation will expand the foundation for future mobility, including autonomous traffic management systems and UAM transfers. It plans to increase community-friendly solar power projects and broaden the application of carbon-reducing materials to create eco-friendly highways.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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