New Chairman Kim Han-young of Korea National Railway.(KR) (Photos: KR)

Former president Kim Han-young of Korea Airport Railroad took office as the 7th chairman of Korea National Railway (KR) on Feb. 16.

In his inaugural speech, he urged executives and staff members to join forces in rejuvenating the railroad industry by opening a sustainable transformation system with a focus on railroads.

Kim wants to dramatically raise the portion of railroad use and accelerate a shift to an eco-friendly and low-carbon society.

The goal is getting more important than ever in the wake of the government’s declaring “2050 carbon neutrality.”

To this end, Chairman Kim said, “KR will not only realize the national railroad network plan at a proper time, but also become a ‘railroad think tank,’ pondering the future and development of the railroad corresponding to the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution and finding alternative options to raise the competitiveness of the railway industry to levels of advanced countries and nurture each field’s experts.”

Kim said he will devote himself to making KR a corporation armed with creativity and a challenging spirit by removing nonessential duties and focusing on core responsibilities.

He also wants to builds a safety-oriented integrated safety regime by digitalizing railroad facilities and strengthening facility management capabilities.

Another ambition is to lead the exploration of feasible overseas projects with the cooperation of the private sector.

Chairman Kim Han-young of the Korea National Railway (KR) poses with KR officials after signing an online deal on a survey service on the feasibility of a trans-Pacific Ocean railway with INCOFER (Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles of Costa Rica) on Feb. 24.

Chairman Kim was born in Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, in 1957. He graduated from Cheongju High School in Chungcheongbuk-do and Kunkook University.

Kim passed the 30th higher administrative examination and began his official duty career in 1987.

Kim is considered a seasoned expert in the transportation sector, as he held major positions in the transportation field such as director in charge of railroad policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation (MOLIT), deputy minister of MOLIT’s Aviation Policy Office and president of Korea Airport Railroad.

KR plans to spearhead the government’s New Deal policies down the road and restructure its operation to brace for the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.

It will also establish management strategies in the middle- and long-term perspective, he said.

Chairman Kim has been evaluated to have the necessary qualifications and the overall right stuff to lead the railway industry in era of change and innovation through the implementation of “Digital New Deal” and “Green New Deal.”

Kim plans to head KR according to his conviction that innovative policies, such as introducing competition to a reformed railroad structure, establishing the first national railroad network plan and a master plan for the development of the railroad industry.

A view of KR headquarters in Daejeon.