Korea National Railway initiates organizational restructuring

Korea National Railway (KR) has launched a major organizational restructuring initiative to implement its new 'BASE' management philosophy. Under the leadership of Chairman Jeong Jin-hyeok, the agency has established a dedicated Task Force (TF) to redefine its functions and roles to better respond to future changes in the railway industry.

The 'BASE' strategy focuses on four core pillars: Best safety, Accountable fairness, Systematic field operations, and Evolving mobility. The restructuring process will prioritize redefining essential functions before adjusting personnel and organizational structures, with a final plan expected by November.

Key changes include:

• Safety: Strengthening the safety control tower by upgrading the head of the Safety Division to an executive level and unifying safety management across the entire lifecycle of railway projects. • Fairness: Establishing a responsible management system based on consistent principles for bidding, contracts, budgeting, and personnel evaluations. • Field Operations: Enhancing communication between headquarters and project management (PM) teams to enable rapid on-site problem-solving and proactive risk management. • Innovation: Elevating the status of AI and data-driven organizations, while reorganizing functions related to new growth areas such as station area development and global business expansion.