KORAIL board to hear ‘voices from the field’ from young employees

[Financial News] External directors overseeing KORAIL’s management gathered with young employees at the deputy general manager level or below to hear about the day-to-day work and challenges of railway operations. Eight nonexecutive directors and eight members of the youth board, the ‘Junior Board,’ held an open Q&A on current issues including business conditions, safety management and technological innovation. The board chair promised to incorporate the young employees’ views into future decision-making.
According to Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on the 16th, a discussion between the nonexecutive directors and the Junior Board was held at the Seoul headquarters the previous afternoon. The meeting was organized as part of the directors’ field activities, with the aim of hearing directly from frontline employees and jointly considering the corporation’s future direction.
The Junior Board is a youth board made up of young practitioners at the deputy general manager level or below, providing a channel for proposals and suggestions related to management. Nonexecutive directors are board members drawn from outside experts in various fields, tasked with reviewing and providing oversight of the corporation’s key policies and overall management.
Participants shared their perspectives on railways from their different positions. Junior Board members spoke candidly about work-related difficulties they encounter on the job, while the nonexecutive directors explained the procedures behind the corporation’s major decisions, broadening their understanding of one another.
Junior Boards are formed not only at headquarters but also at regional headquarters. In February this year, the Busan-Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters and the Gyeongbuk Regional Headquarters held consecutive launch ceremonies for their 19th Junior Boards. The Gyeongbuk Regional Headquarters set out priorities including improving work processes, identifying unreasonable practices, proposing digital- and artificial intelligence (AI)-based initiatives, and developing field-focused measures to improve safety and customer service.
Han Seong-ho, chair of the Junior Board and an assistant locomotive engineer at the Pohang Locomotive Crew Office, said, “It was a meaningful time for nonexecutive directors and young employees to communicate on an equal footing,” adding, “We will continue our active work so that the Junior Board can become a genuine driving force for change and innovation at KORAIL.”
KORAIL board chair Cheon Do-jeong said, “It was a meaningful occasion to meet directly with the concerns and enthusiasm of young employees working hard on the front lines,” adding, “We will listen closely to the diverse voices of railway employees and actively reflect them in decision-making.”

[email protected] Jeong Gyeong-su Reporter