LUSAKA - The Zambian government has engaged a firm from South Korea for a possible partnership to revamp operations of Zambia's railway firm, the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Monday.

The Zambian government has embarked on talks with Korean Railroad Company, a company fully owned by the South Korean government to help in reviving operations of Zambia Railways whose 20-year concession to a South African firm was recently terminated due to poor management.

Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Robert Sichinga said the government urgently requires an investor who will design, build, operate and transfer an efficient cargo and passenger rail network and survives to Zambians.

"We concessioned Zambia Railways but it did not work. We want to revive this company and we believe Koreans can do a great job," he was quoted as saying by the paper.

The Zambian government has since invited the Korean firm to conduct a feasibility study on the railway network in the southern African nation.

The Zambian minister has however said the government has also received offers from other countries that will want to partner in reviving the railway company.

Zambian President Michael Sata was last week in South Korea where he went to woo investors from that country to invest in the southern African nation.