Seven years have passed since the nation introduced a high-speed railway system, modeled after France’s TGV bullet train. No one can deny that the so-called Korea Train Express (KTX) has ushered in a new transportation revolution. The country has developed its own model KTX-Sancheon which began operations in March 2010.
An average 140,000 passengers use the KTX every day. Hyundai Rotem, the local manufacturer of KTX-Sancheon trains, is vying to bid for multi-billion-dollar projects in Brazil, the United States and other countries. No doubt Korea has produced successful results in the operation of the KTX and made much progress in train technology.
But now, the KTX system is under criticism for frequent malfunctions and breakdowns. One of the most important factors in running bullet trains is their safe operation. Safety concerns have been growing, especially since the start of this year. KTX trains have recorded 30 operational problems so far this year. A KTX-Sancheon train derailed near Gwangmyeong Station in Gyeonggi Province on Feb. 11, marking the first derailment for bullet trains in Korea.
Last month, the state-run Korail requested Hyundai Rotem to recall all 19 Sancheon trains after detecting a faulty anchor band in a braking motor decelerator installed in one of the trains. Korail and Hyundai are conducting a joint investigation to find the exact cause of the malfunction and pinpoint who is responsible.
The recall is posing a setback to Korail’s plan to replace aging KTX trains made by France-based Alstom with Hyundai’s Sancheon trains. Local production is pivotal to the development of the high-speed railway system. However, the replacements should not be pushed at the cost of safe operations.
The train producer as well as its operator should never try to experiment on safety with passengers. Hyundai must do its best to supply trains with no defects. Korail also has to make all-out efforts to ensure operational safety. Otherwise, the KTX may be branded as “Korea Trouble Express,” hit by accidents.
It is also urgent to fix problematic rail switching devices installed in the second-stage KTX section linking Daegu to Busan. A malfunction could lead to the derailment of trains. No one can understand why Korail purchased such faulty products.
A series of KTX malfunctions has been caused by a combination of technical glitches, improper maintenance and poor personnel management. President Lee Myung-bak’s appointment of his confidant and former police chief, Huh Joon-young, as Korail CEO is partly responsible for the current problem.
Huh has reduced the railway workforce drastically and turned to subcontractors for maintenance under the misguided slogan of restructuring. He is blamed for putting efficiency and cost-saving before safe operations. It’s time to replace Huh with a railroad expert with management skills to overhaul the bullet train system.