First Domestic Railway Signal System Applied... Sillim Line Test Run Completed

Securing System Performance and Safety, Train Operation Tests Aimed for May Next Year Opening
Following Sillim Line and Dongbuk Line, Plans to Introduce Wirye-Sinsa Line and Seobu Line... Expected Revenue Replacement Effect of 228.2 Billion Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 28th that it has secured the performance and safety of the domestically produced signaling system (KRTCS), which is being applied for the first time on the Sillim Line of the urban railway, by conducting sufficient performance verification to ensure its safety.

The domestically produced wireless communication-based train control system is a next-generation unmanned operation system that applies two-way wireless communication to control train location, speed, and other factors, enabling unmanned train operation.

Until now, all wireless communication-based train control systems operating domestically have been built using foreign technology. However, technical issues have arisen due to incompatibility between systems from different foreign manufacturers, and problems such as enormous additional costs incurred whenever route extensions or train line environments change have been continuously raised.

In response, Seoul City is promoting the introduction of domestically produced signaling systems not only on the Sillim Line and Dongbuk Line of the urban railway but also on the Wirye-Sinsa Line and the Western Line. The establishment of the domestic signaling system is expected to result in an import substitution effect worth 228.2 billion KRW. Furthermore, once the Sillim Line opens, with proven technological capability and execution ability, domestic companies are expected to gain business entry opportunities in the domestic and international wireless communication train control system markets, which had high entry barriers due to foreign signaling companies.

Lee Jeong-hwa, Head of Seoul City's Urban Infrastructure Headquarters, said, “Starting with the Sillim Light Rail, replacing the wireless communication train control systems that relied on imports will increase job creation in the domestic railway industry and improve railway operation efficiency.” She added, “As the domestically produced signaling system is commercialized for the first time in Korea, we will do our best to ensure system performance and safety through sufficient trial runs so that citizens can use it safely and conveniently.”