Welcome ceremony for 32 trainees from 15 countries set for Wednesday

A KTX-Eum train. [Korea Railroad Corporation]
A KTX-Eum train. [Korea Railroad Corporation]

South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Tuesday that it is launching the 9th Global Railway Training Program, which offers railway workers at major overseas project-awarding agencies the opportunity to learn about South Korea's railway policy and technology.

The program, which has run since 2018, targets railway officials — including civil servants — from countries with strong potential for Korean railway exports. To date, 232 participants from 26 countries have taken part.

For this year's 9th session, 71 applicants from 16 countries across Mongolia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East applied, and 32 participants from 15 countries were selected.

The 12-month program is designed to deepen participants' understanding of South Korea's railway system. It covers subjects including railway management and policy, rolling stock and signaling systems, and railway safety systems. It also offers hands-on experiences such as visits to control centers, rides on high-speed trains and tours of domestic railway facilities.

Alumni of the program have served as bridges for winning overseas railway contracts by sharing the latest railway policy developments and project trends from their home countries and connecting Korean firms with overseas project-awarding agencies. Because most participating countries have high demand for expanded railway infrastructure, the program is expected to boost the brand value of "K-Railway" and help secure more overseas contracts.

Kim Tae-byeong, director general of the ministry's Railway Bureau, said the networks built through the program are "a core foundation supporting K-Railway's overseas expansion." He added that the ministry would "actively support Korean companies in entering and winning overseas railway projects by sharing railway policy with key project-awarding agencies — including foreign civil servants and public institutions — and strengthening those networks."

Meanwhile, Korea Railroad Corporation said its cumulative overseas railway contract value reached 522.4 billion won ($386 million) as of the end of last year, surpassing the 500 billion won mark for the first time.


hss@heraldcorp.com