K-rail to ride at 2028 LA Olympics

Korea National Railway said Friday it has completed and opened ahead of schedule a 5-kilometer extension of the Osong Railway Comprehensive Test Track, enabling high-speed performance testing for trains built under the 1.2 trillion won ($846 million) LA Metro heavy rail upgrade project awarded to Hyundai Rotem and Woojin Industrial Systems.

The early completion was aimed at finishing domestic performance verification of the project's first train set on time and ensuring the vehicles are ready for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics transportation schedule.

The existing test section was largely composed of curved track, limiting top speed to 80 kilometers per hour and constraining high-speed run testing. The extension raises the maximum test speed to 120 kph, allowing the performance verification program to proceed on schedule.

Korea National Railway significantly cut construction time by streamlining the comprehensive test-run process and deploying additional personnel. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport provided administrative and diplomatic support, while the Korea Railroad Research Institute prioritized track allocation and operations — close coordination among the agencies that allowed the opening to be moved forward.

Lee An-ho, acting president of Korea National Railway, said the early completion was the result of each agency pooling its capabilities to support domestic companies' overseas project execution. "We will fulfill the role and responsibility of the public sector so that K-rail can continue to strengthen its competitiveness in the global market," he said.

The first LA Metro train set now at the Osong test track is scheduled to complete a total of 3,000 miles of running tests and performance verification by November, then be shipped to the United States in December.