ON MAY 29 Bombardier Transportation signed a memorandum of agreement with Kumho Engineering & Construction to bid for construction of an automated light metro in the South Korean port of Pusan. The municipal government had called bids by June 7 for a 23·9 km rail link from the city centre to Kimhae International Airport, which is to be part-financed by the private sector The Korean government and the municipality are prepared to finance 40% of the 1200bn won project.
Bombardier and Kumho, with Econ of Singapore, Lotte Construction and Iljin Electric, are bidding to supply a fully-automated line using SkyTrain II technology, although Bombardier’s Vice-President Asian Transit Systems Patrice Pelletier says many components would be locally sourced. Construction is due to get under way next year, with the line to be completed by 2005.
