There are widespread concerns across various sectors about the side effects of the government-pushed integration of Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) and SR, including lax management and reduced efficiency. According to the "Roadmap for Integrating the Dual High-Speed Rail System" announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Thursday, cross-operation between KTX departing from Seoul and Yongsan stations and SRT departing from Suseo Station will begin in March next year. From the second half of the year, the two trains will be operated under a unified schedule without distinction. The ticketing applications will also be unified within next year, allowing payment and ticketing through a single app. The government expects this will enhance public convenience by increasing the frequency of high-speed rail services.
However, the KTX-SRT integration runs counter to global trends, as major advanced countries including those in Europe and Japan are expanding railway privatization and competitive systems. Korea itself had pursued introducing a competitive system as early as 2004 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, citing the need to resolve public inconvenience caused by annual union strikes and the harmful effects of monopoly. But due to strong resistance from the railway union, this was repeatedly delayed, and the separation of Korail and SR was only achieved belatedly in 2013 during the Park Geun-hye administration. Separate operations of KTX and SRT finally began in December 2016.
The reason concerns precede any discussion of KTX-SRT integration is that lax management and reduced efficiency are as predictable as fire. Korail's cumulative deficit already stands at 20 trillion won and is snowballing year after year. If SR is integrated under these circumstances, various side effects including expanded deficits will be unavoidable. Furthermore, what will happen if the giant dinosaur union created by the merger of the two high-speed railways goes on strike? Consumers will be left with no alternatives and can only stamp their feet in frustration, while the union will make ever greater demands and plunge the merged entity into a vicious cycle of declining efficiency. If the government attempts to reverse the Korail-SR separation without even holding public hearings, it will be difficult to avoid criticism that it has capitulated to pressure from the railway union, a core stronghold of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. Even if this plan was a presidential campaign pledge of President Lee Jae-myung, if the expected harms are clear, it should be reconsidered. It is not too late to listen to opinions from experts across various fields and make a decision that serves the national interest. The government need not rush the KTX-SRT integration when fatal side effects are a concern.
