President Moon Rides Low-Carbon High-Speed Train... First Economic Move of the New Year

9th Field Visit of the "Korean New Deal"

President Moon Jae-in is speaking at the opening ceremony of the KTX-Eum held at Wonju Station, Gangwon Province on the 4th. January 4, 2021 [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] On the 4th, President Moon Jae-in took a ride on the low-carbon and eco-friendly high-speed train 'KTX-Eum' connecting Wonju and Jecheon in Gangwon Province as his first economic activity of the new year. KTX-Eum is the first domestically produced distributed power high-speed train, set to begin operation on the 5th, and is regarded as an achievement of the 'Korean New Deal' through the digitalization of core infrastructure (SOC).

On that morning, President Moon attended the opening ceremony of the KTX-Eum Jungang Line at Wonju Station in Wonju City, Gangwon Province, encouraged the officials, and personally rode the high-speed train. Emphasizing the importance of railways for realizing '2050 Carbon Neutrality,' digital social transformation, and regional vitality, President Moon urged, "Promote a Korean New Deal that the public can feel by enhancing the quality of life and convenience of our people through a dense railway network and digitalized operations."

The KTX-Eum train is a low-carbon and eco-friendly high-speed train with carbon dioxide emissions at 79% of the existing KTX. It is equipped with LTE-R, a 4th generation railway wireless communication network based on LTE. The plan is to expand this to cover 52% of all high-speed rail lines by 2024. A Blue House official stated, "We plan to invest 14.8 trillion won (10 trillion won in national funds) by 2025 for the digitalization of SOC such as roads, railways, and airports."

In particular, the Jungang Line double-tracking project holds special significance as it provides an opportunity to restore Imcheonggak in Andong (Treasure No. 182), the birthplace of Seokju Lee Sang-ryong, the first Prime Minister of the Provisional Government. President Moon has repeatedly expressed his will to restore Imcheonggak in past Liberation Day speeches and March 1st Movement encouragement speeches.

The event was attended by government and local officials including Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Byun Chang-heum, Governor of Gangwon Province Choi Moon-soon, Governor of Chungbuk Province Lee Si-jong, and local district lawmakers including Lee Kwang-jae, head of the Democratic Party's K-New Deal Committee. Yoo Young-min, the newly appointed Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, also accompanied President Moon on his first field visit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.