Seoul courts rail ties with 6 nations to boost Korean exports

Seoul is bringing railway officials from six countries to Korea this week in a bid to turn its urban transit expertise into overseas contracts for Korean rail operators and manufacturers. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday that 12 officials from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Egypt and Malaysia are taking part in its five-day international training program, which runs through Friday. The program is the largest of its kind since 2020, according to the city, and brings together officials from countries pursuing major urban railway projects. Rather than limiting the visit to policy discussions, Seoul has designed the program to expose participants to the technology and operations behind its transit network, from traffic management to train manufacturing. The itinerary includes the Seoul Transport Operation and Information Service, known as TOPIS, Seoul Metro, the Shinbundang Line and the Ui-Sinseol Line, as well as the Korea Railroad Research Institute and a railway vehicle manufacturing plant. The visits are intended to give participants a broad view of Korea’s