South Korea's High-Speed Rail Ambitions Face Hurdles as China Tests Faster Trains

South Korea has declared itself the 'world's second-best' in high-speed rail technology after securing core technologies for a 370 km/h-class train. However, experts point out that numerous challenges remain before commercialization. In contrast, China revealed that it is already conducting field tests of a 400 km/h high-speed train. The Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) announced the completion of core technology development for the next-generation EMU-370 high-speed train last December at its '30th Anniversary International Seminar' held at COEX in Seoul on the 17th. With a commercial operating speed of 370 km/h, it currently ranks second globally. The project, which cost 22.5 billion won over four years, aims for an initial vehicle order in the first half of 2026 and commercialization after 2031. It is currently in the pre-production stage. 자세히 알아보기 과학 콘텐츠 제작 천체 망원경 과학 도서 판매 In his opening remarks, KRRI President Sa Kong-myung stated, "We are now fully pursuing the development of 400 km/h-class next-generation high-speed rail technology," adding, "We will leap forward to become a global technology powerhouse." Vice Minister Hong Jee-sun also said, "Rail competitiveness is determined by speed, eco-friendliness, and intelligent operation," and affirmed that research on next-generation ultra-high-speed trains will continue. Choi Sung-hoon, head of the Railway Vehicle Division at KRRI, explains the challenges of commercializing the 370 km/h high-speed train. Courtesy of KRRI Researchers in charge of the technology development also discussed several conditions for commercialization. Choi Sung-hoon, head of the Railway Vehicle Division at KRRI, said in his lecture, "We have completed the technical preparations for 370 km/h operation," but noted, "Practical commercial operation will be difficult without solving the energy cost issue." The first challenge for commercialization is energy cost. The unit price of electricity for railways has surged by 40% i