en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) has passed the government's preliminary feasibility study for its next-generation high-speed train project, planning to invest approximately $3.3 billion to purchase 49 EMU-320 high-speed trains, with a unit cost of about $4.21 million. The first batch of 28 trains is expected to be ordered in 2027. These trains feature a distributed traction design with a maximum operating speed of 320 km/h, intended to replace the KTX-1 high-speed trains that have been in service for over two decades.

The next-generation EMU-320 adopts a 16-car formation design, belonging to a different batch from the previously deployed 8-car Cheongnyong EMU-320. Hyundai Rotem has previously manufactured and delivered 17 8-car Cheongnyong EMU-320 trains to Korail and the Korean high-speed rail operator SR. The 46 existing KTX-1 trains were introduced through technology transfer, with the train model based on the French Alstom TGV Réseau platform. The first 12 trains were manufactured by Alstom in France, while the remaining 34 were locally produced by Hyundai Rotem in South Korea. The new trains will have their traction systems distributed under each car, improving acceleration and braking performance, better adapting to the operational characteristics of Korea's high-speed rail lines with shorter station intervals. Each new train is expected to carry approximately 1,000 passengers, making it the high-speed train with the largest passenger capacity in South Korea. The traction system is equipped with permanent magnet synchronous motors, features a streamlined aerodynamic exterior design, and is fitted with an intelligent energy-saving train automatic control system that automatically matches the operating mode based on the line conditions of each section. In terms of safety, the new trains are equipped with a condition-based maintenance system that monitors and analyzes the operating status of the train and key components in real time, along with an upgraded derailment detection system.

In addition to the bulk procurement of the next-generation EMU-320, Korail also plans to receive one EMU-370 high-speed train prototype by 2032. This model is led by the Korea Railroad Research Institute, in collaboration with seven industry, academia, and research institutions including Hyundai Rotem, as part of a national R&D project. It has a design maximum speed of 407 km/h and a commercial operating speed of 370 km/h. The EMU-370 project team has independently achieved breakthroughs in six core technologies. Potential application scenarios for this model include the Vietnam North-South high-speed rail project.