HYUNDAI Rotem has released the first of its second-generation EMU-320 high-speed trains ahead of schedule following initial test runs conducted at the end of 2025.
The 320km/h trains are part of orders for 31 eight-car EMUs placed respectively by operators Korail and SR in March and April 2023. The first sets were rolled out on December 30 and 31 and are now undergoing extended testing. Delivery is scheduled for December, around four months earlier than originally planned.
The second-generation EMU-320 is an upgrade of the first-generation EMU-320, marketed as KTX-Cheongryong, which entered commercial service with Korail in May 2024. The train is derived from the HEMU-430X prototype and according to Hyundai Rotem, the new model offers lower noise levels and improvements in ride quality, safety and passenger convenience compared with the first generation train.
A key feature is the integration of the Korean Train Control System Level 2 (KTCS-2), a domestically developed signalling system, equivalent to ETCS Level 2, which was first installed in Hyundai Rotem’s EMU-260, a 260km/h distributed power train.
The trains are also equipped with a condition-based maintenance system (CBM), which was also introduced on the EMU-260, and continuously monitors critical components to predict wear and potential failures, enabling more targeted maintenance. Technical upgrades include higher-capacity main transformers and auxiliary power supplies compared with the first-generation train, supporting improved air-conditioning performance, as well as a shorter braking distance.
Improvements for passengers include larger full-colour exterior destination displays, additional interior information screens, and improved wireless mobile phone charging at each seat.
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