Predetermined Answers, Evidence Later... A 'Speed-First' Roadmap for Railway Integration

Stated Reasons: Seat Availability and Safety Management
Also a Presidential Campaign Pledge by Lee
Blueprint Announced Before Commissioning External Study
Process Proceeding in Reverse of Standard Procedures

The government has unveiled a roadmap for the integration of high-speed railways. The stated reasons are to address public inconvenience caused by seat shortages and to strengthen safety management. This is also an issue that President Lee Jaemyung pledged as a campaign promise. While the rationale appears reasonable, there is skepticism among observers because it seems that the "answer" was predetermined and the "evidence" is now being sought to justify it.

It is common practice for the government to commission research from specialized institutions or seek opinions from external experts or stakeholders when making major policy decisions. This time, however, the government announced a preliminary blueprint specifying the timing of integration before commissioning an external study. In other words, the process is proceeding in the reverse order compared to standard procedures. The process of gathering opinions was replaced by holding two to three meetings between Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), SR labor and management, and experts, but it remains unclear what specific discussions took place during these meetings.

A train is stopped at the Suseo Station SRT platform in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

KORAIL Claims "16,000 More Seats, 10% Lower Fares" While Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Says "Verification Needed"

The discussion on integrating high-speed railways has been a recurring issue since the launch of SR. A senior official at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated, "SR began full-scale operations in 2016, and as soon as the Moon Jaein administration took office the following year, talks about integrating KTX and SRT quickly emerged. However, at that time, there was intense debate over which approach was correct, and since the competitive system had only been in place for a year, the consensus was to observe a bit longer before making a decision."

KORAIL has claimed that integrating the operation of high-speed railways could increase the number of seats by approximately 16,000 and lower fares by 10%. However, these figures have not been thoroughly verified. They are simple estimates based on deploying higher-capacity trains on routes departing from Suseo. Experts point out that a wider range of variables must be considered in actual operations. A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official explained, "Because KTX routes are longer than SRT, factors such as actual train deployment, operations, and maintenance demand must be considered in a comprehensive manner. The exact net increase can only be determined through an external research study."

The evidence supporting the possibility of lowering fares is also weak. KORAIL argues that integration would reduce redundant costs in areas such as maintenance and marketing, which could allow for lower fares. However, since no concrete plan has been presented on how to integrate organizations or personnel, this argument lacks persuasiveness. Even if integration creates room to lower fares, it is not a decision that can be made solely by KORAIL or the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

KORAIL is currently recording massive losses on regular train routes, and its financial soundness shows no signs of improvement due to accumulated debt. Given these deficits, the possibility of lowering fares is virtually nonexistent. This also contradicts KORAIL's previous stance that fares should be increased to fund train replacements and other needs. Consumers are concerned that the SRT fare, which has been 10% lower, might actually be raised to match KTX fares.

Frequent Railway Strikes... Will Alternative Options Disappear?

The National Railway Workers' Union had initially announced a nationwide strike starting on the 11th. During the strike in December last year, Lee Jaemyung, then leader of the Democratic Party, intervened as a mediator, which led to the strike being called off. One of the promises made at that time was the integration of high-speed railways.

This time as well, the union has taken a hardline stance, demanding the implementation of President Lee's promises, including high-speed rail integration and normalization of performance-based bonuses, and last month, a strike authorization vote was passed. The union has welcomed the newly announced integration roadmap, stating that it "lays the foundation for enhancing the overall competitiveness and public nature of the railway industry."

The introduction of competition in high-speed railways in the past somewhat weakened KORAIL's strike leverage, as SRT could serve as an alternative to KTX. KORAIL's primary union is affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, while SR has a single union unaffiliated with any umbrella organization. If the two companies are merged, their unions may also be consolidated. If a railway strike occurs in the future, the inconvenience to citizens from disruptions in high-speed rail service is expected to be even greater.

On the afternoon of December 9 last year, Lee Jae-myung, then leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited the Railway Hall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to mediate with the striking railway union. On the right is Choi Myung-ho, then chairman of the National Railway Workers' Union. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Association

In the case of railways, certain work must be maintained even during a strike, but labor and management have not been able to narrow their differences regarding the scope of these essential maintenance duties. Kim Kyungtaek, Associate Research Fellow at the Korea Transport Institute, commented, "Since the plan is not for an absorption-type merger, we need to watch how each company's union will be reorganized after integration. The key issue will be determining the scale of substitute personnel that can be deployed during a strike."

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