The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is developing the core technology of 'maglev propulsion' for the hyperloop.

The futuristic transportation system 'hyperloop,' capable of traveling from Seoul to Busan in about 20 minutes, has officially embarked on its development with a goal of commercializing the technology by 2037.

On the 9th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it has begun the development of the 'maglev propulsion' technology, which is considered a key technology for the hyperloop, in collaboration with the Korea Railroad Research Institute.

The 'hyperloop' is a futuristic transportation system that supports ultra-high-speed travel at 1,200 km/h using maglev technology and electromagnetic forces in near-vacuum tubes.

This allows for travel between Seoul and Busan in less than 20 minutes, which is 1.3 times and 4 times faster compared to airplanes and high-speed trains, respectively.

Such 'high-speed travel' in the near vacuum (0.001–0.01 atmospheres) inside the tubes is minimally affected by weather conditions.

Moreover, the hyperloop can supply power through solar energy from solar panels, making it an eco-friendly transport option that does not emit carbon.

The project, with the Korea Railroad Research Institute as the leading research institution, is set to continue until 2027, with a total budget of approximately 12.7 billion KRW.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that the "development of self-levitation and propulsion technology" aims to verify vehicle levitation and propulsion through the development of four detailed technologies: hyperloop-exclusive track, superconducting electromagnet system, driving control technology, and vehicle design and manufacturing.

A ministry official stated, "K Hyperloop will not just be a transportation method, but rather a revolutionary model for future transport that dramatically reduces travel time between regions and addresses environmental issues."

Image source: youtube 'hyperlooptt', hyperloop system concept illustration / Photo provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, youtube 'krri Korea Railroad Research Institute'