[Exclusive] Korail, Over 57% of Trains Are More Than 20 Years Old

More than 70% of General Vehicles Including Hwacha and Passenger Cars Are Aged
KTX Also 15-19 Years Old
14% of All Vehicles to Be Retired Within 3 Years
Urgent Need to Secure Budget for Vehicle Replacement
Assemblyman Kim Byung-wook: "Must Actively Engage in Replacing and Managing Aged Vehicles"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] It has been revealed that half of the trains owned by Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) are aging vehicles over 20 years old. In particular, more than 70% of general vehicles, including passenger cars and freight cars, fall into the category of aging vehicles, and KTX trains are also gradually approaching the aging criteria. Within the next three years, 14.7% of the entire fleet is scheduled to be scrapped, making it urgent to establish purchasing plans and budgets for vehicle replacement accordingly.

▲KTX train lifted by a synchronized hoist for maintenance at Korail Goyang Vehicle Depot.

According to data submitted by KORAIL to Kim Byung-wook, a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the proportion of aging railway vehicles over 20 years old was confirmed to be 57.30%. Among the railway vehicles owned by KORAIL (including privately owned freight cars, excluding 28 cars on the Seohae Line owned by the state and operated by the corporation), 8,737 out of a total of 15,246 vehicles were aging vehicles over 20 years old.

High-speed vehicles (such as KTX) and ITX-Cheongchun, ITX-Saemaeul, and Nuriro trains, which were introduced relatively recently, had an aging rate of 0%, but freight cars, passenger cars, diesel locomotives, and power cars showed that 7 out of 10 vehicles were aging. Among general vehicles, including these, 7,792 out of a total of 10,905 vehicles, or 71.5%, were found to be over 20 years old.

Looking at detailed vehicle types, 169 out of 220 diesel locomotives (76.8%) were over 20 years old, 576 out of 675 passenger cars (85.3%), and 6,838 out of 9,458 freight cars (72.3%) were aging vehicles over 20 years old.

Some vehicles have already far exceeded their expected lifespan, requiring measures for safe operation and scrapping cost preparation.

The expected lifespan of some freight cars carrying cargo such as sulfuric acid is 25 years. However, 35.3% of freight cars have exceeded this lifespan (over 25 years). Vehicles over 30 years old numbered 504, accounting for 5% of all freight cars.

Additionally, passenger cars and power cars have an expected lifespan of 25 years, but 192 out of 675 passenger cars (28.4%) and 61 out of 90 power cars (67.8%) have already exceeded their expected lifespan. In particular, all 109 diesel multiple units, which have an expected lifespan of 20 years, exceeded this lifespan this year (24 units aged 20-24 years, 60 units aged 25-29 years, and 25 units over 30 years).

The KTX, introduced since 1997, is also aging, with all 920 vehicles aged between 15 and 19 years. The expected lifespan of KTX is 30 years, so they can still operate for about 10 more years, but the KTX-Sancheon (240 vehicles), introduced later, is also over 10 years old, and the number of newly introduced vehicles is not large compared to the aging speed of existing vehicles. The most recently introduced vehicles are the KTX-Eum, with 114 vehicles in operation since 2019.

Vehicle breakdowns occur every year. There were 62 cases in 2021 and 34 cases up to August this year, most of which were due to parts issues. A total of 2,235 vehicles, accounting for 14.7% of the entire fleet, must be scrapped within the next three years. Considering this, there are calls to establish purchasing plans and scrapping funding measures.

Assemblyman Kim Byung-wook emphasized, "KORAIL must actively engage in replacing and managing aging vehicles to ensure railway safety," adding, "The replacement schedule for aging vehicles owned by the corporation should be advanced, and privately owned freight cars should also be encouraged to be replaced through administrative guidance."

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