The image shows Chief Inspector Xin Yingshuo explaining the faulty components found in South Korea’s high-speed rail KTX system. The original article title reads: "South Korea's High-Speed Rail KTX Found Using Substandard Parts."
A special investigation unit under the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office recently filed charges against seven individuals from a parts manufacturer and two technicians from the Korea Railway Corporation, accusing them of falsifying documents and accepting bribes. The scandal came to light after an investigation revealed that six companies had been involved between March 2009 and October 2012. They forged import declarations, passing off domestic parts as imported ones and old components as new, generating profits ranging from 14 million to 310 million won.
According to the findings, senior technicians at the Korea Railway Corporation abused their authority to redirect procurement plans worth 20 million won to lower-level staff, thereby earning 11 million won in profit. It was also discovered that there were at least 17,521 defective parts stored in the company's warehouse. These substandard components were not only used in the KTX but also in Seoul’s subway system.
The problematic parts mainly included the check valve, relay, thrust nut, and screw ring of the KTX braking system. While inspection reports suggested that these components did not pose a significant safety risk to the trains, it is estimated that each KTX train contains over 2 million parts. The small number of defective components made detection extremely challenging.
Chief Inspector Xin Yingshuo stated, “We have submitted the report to the railway company for cooperation in inspections.†He added that the inspection department would re-examine the relevant import documentation and inspection forms, and would propose improvements to the KTX main parts management system to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
This incident has raised serious concerns about quality control and transparency in South Korea’s high-speed rail industry. With the increasing reliance on advanced technology and global supply chains, such scandals highlight the need for stricter oversight and more rigorous testing procedures. The public is now demanding greater accountability from both the railway corporation and its suppliers to ensure the safety and reliability of the country’s transportation infrastructure.
Source: Reprinted from Korea Chosun Daily Chinese website http://cn.chosun.com/
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