Leading Green Growth of the Country

110th Railroad Day, Korea Railroad Corp. holds ceremony with some 750 people at its new head office in Daejeon

The 110th Day of Railroad was observed in a ceremony held at the Korea Railroad Corp..’s auditorium at its new office building with some 750 people from all levels of the railroad industry led by Minister Chung Jong-hwan of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs and Rep. Lee Byung-shik , chairman of the National Assembly Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Committee and President Huh Joon-young of the Korea Railroad Corp. in attendance.
Minister Chung, in his congratulatory speech, said he would like to pay a tribute to those who gave all they had in the construction of the Seoul-Busan Railroad and the development of Korea’s rail industry. He said to continue to get support from the people continuously, the rail industry would have to work hard ceaselessly to improve its effectiveness, services, and expand the related transportation network, calling on those in the rail industry to put in their maximum efforts.
The minister said the right time has come for the rail industry to bloom again with high oil prices and the Kyoto Climate accord dominating the headlines of media all over the world and the rail industry should lead the green revolution in the areas of transportation and logistics as it is high energy effective and environmentally friendly.
President Huh Joon-young of the Korea Railroad Corp. said in his congratulatory speech that the railroad has led the national economic development during the 110 years of its operation as the feet for the nation and now it will be at the center of leading low-carbon and green growth of the country from now on, stressing that the expansion of the railroad, a green transportation means is the short-cut to green growth and in respect, the railroad is an environment enterprise and railroad people are the green color businessmen who can keep both the economy and environment alive, calling for support and investment in the railroad industry.
A number of supplementary events further brightened the ceremony including a photo exhibition to show the history of the development of Korea’s railroad at a glance in a joint effort by the Korea Railroad Authority, and the Korea Rail Network Authority. Also took place in the afternoon was a symposium by the participation of international railroad experts from such countries as Uzbekistan, Mongolia and :Japan on the subject of investments in railroads for green future. Discussions at the symposium centered on the status of railroad investments and sustainable development of railroad and investment management with presentations of papers.
Korea’s railroad history trances back to Sept. 18 in 1899, when the Kyungin Railroad connecting Noryangjin in Seoul and Incheon extending for 33.2 km was inaugurated followed by the Kyungbu Line in 1905 and Kyungui Line in 1906. The nation opened the Kyungwon Line and the Honam Line in 1914.
Japanese colonialists used the railroad to meet their objectives of pillaging Korea and strengthen their domination of the country and it became a main artery of modernization and industrialization of Korea after coming through the Korean war, and the modernization period and it continued to expand and develop. nw

A group of dignitaries led by Minister Chung Jong-hwan of the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs, 3rd L, Rep. lee Byung-sok, charirman of the National Assembly land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Committee, 3rd R, President Huh Joon-young of Korea Railroad Corp., 2nd R, and President Cho Hyun-yong of the Korea Rail Network Authority cut a cake in celebration of the 110th Railroad Day at a ceremony held at the KRC headquarters in Daejeon Sept. 18.

Rep. lee Byung-sok, charirman of the National Assembly Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Committee

President Huh Joon-young of Korea Railroad Corp. gives a speech at the Railroad Day anniversary.