Subway mirrors urban, national growth

Seoul’s rapid growth has driven the development of its public transport system, especially the subway, which has evolved into one of the world’s most extensive networks in less than four decades.

Owing to the network’s intricate structure and rapid growth, Korean subway constructors and operators acquired engineering technologies, which went on to boost the nation’s exports.

“Seoul is one of the few cities in the world which has as many as nine subway lines, together with several intercity railroads,” said an official of Seoul Metro, which operates subway line Nos. 1-4.

“Considering its relatively short history, this was a drastic expansion, not only in terms of scale but also in terms of the technology involved.”

The first-ever underground railway in Seoul opened in 1974, connecting Seoul Station to Cheongnyangni Station.

In 1981, the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation, the former body of Seoul Metro, was established to operate the metro.

“Despite its relatively late start, Seoul’s subway business soon took an upturn, in step with the construction boom and urban expansion in the 1980s and 1990s,” the official explained.

The geographical features of the city, incorporating several mountains and the Han River, also helped Korean companies build competitiveness in special features such as sub-riverbed tunnels and railway bridges.

One of the most dramatic examples of technological innovation was the construction of the Subway Line No. 9 section of Express Bus Terminal Station in 2009.

The station was not only the intersection point for Line No. 3 and 7, but also located under huge commercial buildings such as Shinsegae Department Store, JW Marriott Hotel and the Express Bus Terminal Station.

“The construction area was a mere 15 centimeters below the conventional Line No. 3,” said an official of Ssangyong Engineering & Construction, which implemented the project.

In order to guarantee the stability of the surrounding features, the builder had to simultaneously apply two separate excavation skills, an unprecedented practice which ended in success.

While constructors made leaps in the subterranean civil engineering sector, Korean rolling stock manufacturers, too, gained recognition in the global market.

Hyundai Rotem recently set to expanding its leverage in the overseas market.

The company, which went public last month, recorded 1.47 trillion won ($1.37 billion) in sales in the first half of this year, of which 686 billion won was in railway business.

“The proportion of our sales made overseas reached 51 percent last year and is expected to grow further in the coming years,” said a company official.

Prompted by the growth of private companies, Seoul Metro has also entered the global market for railway operating systems.

The public corporation is currently mapping out the subway network in Ho Cho Minh City, Vietnam, and offering consulting services to Bangladesh on improving its railroad signal system, officials said.

Also, its smart card system, which allows users to charge a card and use it to pay fares at discount rates, has been exported to New Zealand and Colombia, resulting in some 40 billion won ($37 million) in profits.

The subway sector brought a breakthrough to the construction industry, especially in the overseas market.

The most notable success was that of Samsung C&T, which secured last month a 2.2 trillion won deal to build a subway network in Saudi Arabia, marking its fourth such order so far this year.

“Middle East countries, which were struck by the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, took an upturn in recent years and set to improving their transportation infrastructure,” said an official of the International Contractors Association of Korea.

Dubai, for instance, is expected to invest some 7 trillion won in building new roads and railways, according to the official.

“Korean companies were able to respond with agility to such surging demands, due to their years of experience in the market and successful portfolio,” he said.

“While the global construction industry in general continues to struggle, special sectors such as subway construction may become the key to a breakthrough.”

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)