South Korea has completed the development of core technologies for a next-generation high-speed train that is expected to be the world’s second fastest, capable of hitting 370 kilometers per hour.
 
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the plan Monday, saying the government will start manufacturing the trains next year and begin test operations as early as 2030.

The ministry said its aim is to commercialize the new high-speed trains after 2031 and shorten travel time between major cities to less than two hours, while also increasing railroad convenience and export competitiveness.

Based on the manufacturing technology of the KTX-Cheongryong high-speed train, which is currently the fastest in the country with a maximum commercial speed of 320 kilometers per hour, the new trains are expected to move as fast as 407 kilometers per hour and reach a commercial driving speed of 370 kilometers per hour.
 
Countries such as France, Germany and Japan currently operate high-speed trains at 320 kilometers per hour, while China is testing a next-generation train designed for commercial speeds of 400 kilometers per hour, with a 2027 target for the start of operations.
 
The ministry said a total of 22-point-five billion won, or about 15-point-two million U.S. dollars, was invested in the domestic high-speed train project since it began in April 2022.