Expanded KTX network key to green growth

Korea has long been criticized for neglecting upgrading its railroad network, while going all-out to pave highways in the past decades. But now, things will change as the Lee Myung-bak administration is to make the railway lines faster and greener.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs disclosed a blueprint to expand the high-speed rail network to connect all major cities across the nation by 2020. The mega-project is designed to make it possible for people to travel anywhere in the country within two hours.

The plan is drawing keen attention as the government is set to bring about a railway renaissance that will revolutionize not only transportation but also daily lives. It is part of President Lee’s ambitious low-carbon, green growth strategy. For this, the administration will set up a smart transportation grid by building more tracks for the nation’s bullet train Korea Train Express (KTX).

The country started the operation of the KTX in April 2004. It introduced the high-speed rail system based on France’s TGV. Under the new plan, the state-run Korea Railroad will operate an advanced version of the KTX train that can run as fast as 430km per hour starting in 2012, compared with the current limit of 330km. It also plans to raise the maximum speed of conventional trains to 230km per hour from the present 150km.

The project is also expected to promote balanced regional development and improve Korea’s industrial competitiveness. It can contribute to developing state-of-the-art train-making technologies to boost the nation’s growth potential.

Trains are far more environment-friendly and energy-efficient than fuel-guzzling automobiles. That’s why more countries are rushing to upgrade their rail systems and build electricity-powered high-speed railways. China is to spend 5 trillion yuan (870 trillion won) to complete a 100km bullet train network by 2020. The Untied States, Brazil, Vietnam and other nations are also seeking to introduce high-speed trains.

It is necessary for the government, businesses and research institutes to work together to develop next-generation bullet trains to meet both domestic and overseas demand. The global high-speed train market is predicted to reach 230 trillion won in 2020.

The nation has some obstacles to overcome to become a railway powerhouse in the world. First, the Lee administration should take concrete steps to finance the big-budget project that will require nearly 100 trillion won over the next 10 years. If the government pushes the plan in a reckless manner, it could waste huge sums of taxpayer money and thereby hurt the nation’s fiscal health.

The project might also make it easier for more people and resources to move to Seoul, the nation’s capital, deepening the problem of centralization. Thus, the nation should work out detailed measures to tackle such problems and successfully put the greener network in place.