Limited Express for Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL)

Manufacturer	Hitachi, Ltd.
Built for	Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL)
Route	The Gyeongbu and Janghang lines, and trunk lines serving much of the country
Product type	Trunkline electric cars (TEC)
Year ordered, delivered or shipped	Order received in January 2007 / Delivery began in March 2009
Launch of commercial operations	June 2009

Hitachi, Ltd. received orders from Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) for 32 railcars to make up 8 limited express EMU (electric multiple unit) train sets, and is continuing to deliver them. The first trainset began commercial operations in June 2009, initially as a first-class train linking Seoul with suburban centers in the capital region. Presently, the trains are also running on lines throughout the country.

A number of Hitachi A-Train technologies are employed for the manufacture of the rolling stock, including the adoption of an aluminum double-skin structure, friction stir welding (FSW) technology, and a module interior manufacturing method.

The design concept was adapted specifically to South Korean specifications, many component parts are manufactured locally, and assembly is performed at facilities within South Korea. Due to these and other undertakings, the railcars have been very well received as an example of the successful localization, and the company has established new standards for rolling stock in South Korea.