Abstract
The amended law of railway safety in Korea has recently come into effect in order to strengthen the railway safety management system. The new law, which took effect March 1, 2014, will implement stricter oversight of railway companies. As a result, a company that manufactures railroad system or components for domestic use must obtain an approval in accordance with the technical specifications of manufacturer approval. Although Korea had established the legal system in enforcing railway safety, the government wants the companies continue to develop the more improved safety systems until they gain competitive edge on the world class railway manufacturers. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the technical specifications for manufacturer approval in International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS), which is the global standard. This paper also proposes measures and guidelines that would help Korean manufacturers those who want further develop their safety management systems, as a prerequisite for them to obtain the manufacturer approval.