Innovative technology exhibition and special sessions held

Future direction of railway industry explored

Korea National Railway President Jeong Jin-hyeok delivers congratulatory remarks at the 2026 Korean Society for Railway Autumn Academic Conference, which opened Thursday. [Korea National Railway]
Korea National Railway President Jeong Jin-hyeok delivers congratulatory remarks at the 2026 Korean Society for Railway Autumn Academic Conference, which opened Thursday. [Korea National Railway]

Korea National Railway announced Friday that it is participating in the 2026 Korean Society for Railway Autumn Academic Conference, held from Thursday through Saturday at Phoenix Island in Jeju, to present major R&D achievements and discuss the future direction of railway technology.

Hosted by the Korean Society for Railway, the conference is the country's leading railway academic event, bringing together industry, academic and research experts to share technology trends and explore avenues for cooperation.

Korea National Railway is operating an exhibition booth to unveil a range of key R&D results. Featured exhibits include a vibration-isolating fastening device for noise and vibration reduction, an AI-powered robot for railway signal interlocking tests and a ground-penetrating radar (GPR)-AI fusion system for detecting voids beneath railway tracks.

Particularly notable is the vibration-isolating fastening device for noise and vibration reduction, which cuts vibration by more than 3 decibels in operating environments at speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour. The technology earned selection for the 2026 Top 10 Railway Technologies Award.

The AI railway signal interlocking test robot, which significantly reduces costs through automated signal interlocking testing, and the GPR-AI fusion track detection system, which efficiently identifies voids in the ground beneath tracks, are both being pursued as public-private joint technology commercialization R&D projects and are drawing attention as models for cooperative partnership with private companies.

Korea National Railway plans to hold a special session during the event to discuss ways to strengthen the overall competitiveness of the railway industry, covering eight key topics including the advancement of subgrade and track design and construction standards for diverse construction environments.

"Railways must evolve beyond simple transportation into a core axis of future mobility that connects diverse traffic systems," Korea National Railway President Jeong Jin-hyeok said. "I hope this academic conference will solidify industry-academia-research cooperation and serve as an opportunity for South Korea's railway industry to take a leap forward."

Meanwhile, Korea National Railway recently received the Product Development Innovation Award at the 2026 Korea Local Government and Public Character Festival ceremony.


hwshin@heraldcorp.com