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146-410: Planned: 1 November 2010: 1 August 2015: The Gyeongbu high-speed railway , also known as Gyeongbu HSR , is South Korea 's first high-speed rail line from Seoul to Busan . KTX high-speed trains operate three sections of the line: on 1 April 2004, the first between a junction near Geumcheon-gu Office station , Seoul and a junction at Daejeonjochajang station north of Daejeon , and

292-413: A feed-in tariff . Around 350 residential micro combined heat and power units were installed in 2012. In 2017, South Korea was the world's seventh largest emitter of carbon emissions and the fifth largest emitter per capita. President Moon Jae-in pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero in 2050. Seoul's tap water recently became safe to drink, with city officials branding it " Arisu " in

438-402: A BOT project the project company or operator generally obtains its revenues through a fee charged to the utility/ government rather than tariffs charged to consumers. A number of projects are called concessions, such as toll road projects, which are new build and have a number of similarities to BOTs. In general, a project is financially viable for the private entity if the revenues generated by

584-437: A bid to convince the public. Efforts have also been made with afforestation projects. Another multibillion-dollar project was the restoration of Cheonggyecheon , a stream running through downtown Seoul that had earlier been paved over by a motorway. One major challenge is air quality, with acid rain, sulfur oxides, and annual yellow dust storms being particular problems. It is acknowledged that many of these difficulties are

730-683: A close election over the Democratic Party candidate by the narrowest margin ever. Yoon was sworn in on May 10, 2022. South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula , which extends some 1,100 km (680 mi) from the Continental and East Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. Its southern tip lies on

876-411: A combined length of 83,078 m (51.622 mi), among them the 6,844 m (22,454 ft) Pungse Viaduct; and 46 tunnels with a combined length of 75,621 m (46.989 mi), among them the 10,290 m (33,760 ft) Iljik Tunnel and the 9,970.5 m (32,712 ft) Hwanghak Tunnel. Hwanghak Tunnel became Korea's longest bored tunnel once the line opened. The project budget also included

1022-550: A conservative government was elected in 2007 led by President Lee Myung-bak , former mayor of Seoul . Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan jointly co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup . However, South Korean and Japanese relations later soured because of conflicting claims of sovereignty over the Liancourt Rocks . In 2010, there was an escalation in attacks by North Korea. In March 2010 the South Korean warship ROKS Cheonan

1168-603: A day. In the first estimate after the separation of the project into phases, the prediction for the first-year average daily ridership of the Gyeongbu KTX Line was 141,497, which reduced to 115,828 in the final August 2003 forecast. Actual first-year numbers were about a half of the last estimate, but rose significantly in the second and third year. In October 2010, before the opening of the Daegu–Busan section, Korail expected total KTX ridership (including Honam KTX) to rise from

1314-569: A few US states ( California , Florida , Indiana , Texas , and Virginia ). However, in some countries, such as Canada , Australia , New Zealand and Nepal , the term used is build–own–operate–transfer (BOOT). The first BOT was for the China Hotel , built in 1979 by the Hong Kong listed conglomerate Hopewell Holdings Ltd (controlled by Sir Gordon Wu ). BOT finds extensive application in infrastructure projects and public–private partnership . In

1460-665: A golden age under Gwanggaeto the Great and his son Jangsu , who both subdued Baekje and Silla during their respective reigns, achieving a brief unification of the Three Kingdoms and becoming the most dominant power on the Korean Peninsula. In addition to contesting control of the Korean Peninsula, Goguryeo had many military conflicts with various Chinese dynasties, most notably the Goguryeo–Sui War , in which Goguryeo defeated

1606-420: A huge force said to number over a million men. Baekje was a maritime power, sometimes called the " Phoenicia of East Asia". Its maritime ability was instrumental in the dissemination of Buddhism throughout East Asia and spreading continental culture to Japan. Baekje was once a great military power on the Korean Peninsula, especially during the time of Geunchogo , but was critically defeated by Gwanggaeto

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1752-584: A minimum travel time of 2 hours 54 minutes. This service is to be extended to Jinju by 2012. From 2012, Korail plans to extend some KTX services to Incheon International Airport on the AREX line. The planned travel time between Incheon International Airport and Busan is 2 hours 41 minutes. From 2015, a KTX service between Seoul and Pohang, diverging from the Gyeongbu HSR to the Donghae Line at Singyeongju station,

1898-475: A nationwide next-generation network that will be 10 times faster than broadband facilities, in order to reduce energy usage. The renewable portfolio standard program with renewable energy certificates runs from 2012 to 2022. Quota systems favor large, vertically integrated generators and multinational electric utilities, if only because certificates are generally denominated in units of one megawatt-hour. They are also more difficult to design and implement than

2044-738: A new airport in a busy metropolis. BLT stands for build-lease-transfer, in which the public sector partner leases the project from the contractor and also takes responsibility for its operation. ROT (renovate-operate-transfer) is a procurement method for infrastructure that already exists but is performing substandardly. As you know, when essential services are no longer operating efficiently or effectively, repairs can be costly. When an obsolete facility or amenity (any public service such as telephone lines, etc.) becomes outdated and requires expensive repairs, it can be financed through public-private partnerships between public entities and private contractors that are able to provide renovation services and operate

2190-458: A pair of non-stop trains with a travel time of 2 hours 8 minutes. With the completion of the sections across urban Daejeon and Daegu, a further improvement of the four-stop travel time to 2 hour and 10 minutes between Seoul and Busan is expected. The frequency of Gyeongbu HSR services was 94 daily runs when the service started in April 2004. Three and a half months later, trains running on some days of

2336-451: A political prisoner sentenced to death (later commuted to exile). He won against the backdrop of the 1997 Asian financial crisis , where he took IMF advice to restructure the economy and the nation soon recovered its economic growth, albeit at a slower pace. In June 2000, as part of President Kim Dae-jung's " Sunshine Policy " of engagement, a North–South summit took place in Pyongyang ,

2482-552: A problem earlier, however, a second maintenance crew failed to find the loose nut and didn't properly communicate the fact to the control center, which then allowed the train on the track. The rail union criticised Korail's use of hired repairmen. There were no problems with the train according to the investigation. KTX trains not deviating from the Seoul–Busan corridor are operated as the Gyeongbu KTX service. When introduced in 2004,

2628-415: A profit from your project. While you manage your contract, you generate profit by charging fees from the users of your project, and you have the project as an asset. While the risk is yours, this risk is offset by various government incentives, funding, tax breaks, money to hire select people (such as unemployment job initiatives), and any other benefits that the regulatory body sees fit to grant you. At

2774-681: A result of South Korea's proximity to China, which is a major air polluter. South Korea had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.02/10, ranking it 87th globally out of 172 countries. South Korea is a member of the Antarctic-Environmental Protocol , Antarctic Treaty , Biodiversity Treaty , Kyoto Protocol (forming the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG), regarding UNFCCC , with Mexico and Switzerland), Desertification , Endangered Species , Environmental Modification , Hazardous Wastes , Law of

2920-442: A second between a junction at Okcheon station , southeast of Daejeon, and a junction near Jicheon station , north of Daegu entered service; then on 1 November 2010, the third section, between a junction west of Daegu and Busan became operational. The missing gaps across the urban areas of Daejeon and Daegu were in construction for an expected opening in 2014, separate tracks into Seoul Station were also planned. The temporary ends of

3066-534: A series of massive public demonstrations from November 2016, and she was removed from office. After the fallout of Park's impeachment and dismissal, elections were held and Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party won the presidency, assuming office on May 10, 2017. His tenure saw an improving political relationship with North Korea, some increasing divergence in the military alliance with the United States, and

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3212-466: A significant boost for South Korea's global image and economy. South Korea was formally invited to become a member of the United Nations in 1991. The transition of Korea from autocracy to modern democracy was marked in 1997 by the election of Kim Dae-jung, who was sworn in as the eighth president of South Korea on February 25, 1998. His election was significant given that he had in earlier years been

3358-493: A southwestern region of mountains and valleys; and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River . South Korea is home to three terrestrial ecoregions: Central Korean deciduous forests , Manchurian mixed forests , and Southern Korea evergreen forests . South Korea's terrain is mostly mountainous, most of which is not arable . Lowlands , located primarily in the west and southeast, make up only 30% of

3504-515: A study prepared between 1972 and 1974 by experts of France's SNCF and Japan Railway Technical Service on a request from the IBRD . A more detailed 1978-1981 study by KAIST , focusing on the needs of freight transport, also came to the conclusion that separating off long-distance passenger traffic on a high-speed passenger railway would be advisable, thus it was taken up in Korea's next Five Year Plan . During

3650-535: A third of the parliament. Suppression of the opposition and human rights abuse by the government became more severe in this period. Even after Park's assassination in 1979, the authoritarian rule continued in the Fifth Republic led by Chun Doo-hwan , which violently seized power by two coups and brutally suppressed the Gwangju Uprising . The June Democratic Struggle of 1987 ended authoritarian rule , forming

3796-440: A two-track tunnel cross sectional area of 107 m (1,152 sq ft). Of the planned 411 km (255 mi) line, 152.73 km (94.90 mi) would be laid on bridges, and another 138.68 km (86.17 mi) in tunnels. However, plans were changed repeatedly, in particular those for city sections, following disputes with local governments. Planned operating speed was also reduced from 350 km/h (215 mph) to

3942-477: Is 423.8 km (263.3 mi). The section includes 54 viaducts with a total length of 23.4 km (14.5 mi) and 38 tunnels with a total length of 74.2 km (46.1 mi). The two largest structures are the 20,323 m (66,677 ft) long Geomjeung Tunnel, under Mount Geumjeong at the Busan end of the line; and the 13,270 m long Wonhyo Tunnel, under Mount Cheonseong south-west of Ulsan, which will be

4088-425: Is a comprehensive overhaul of South Korea's economy, utilizing nearly two percent of the national GDP. The greening initiative includes such efforts as a nationwide bike network, solar and wind energy, lowering oil dependent vehicles, backing daylight saving time and extensive usage of environmentally friendly technologies such as LEDs in electronics and lighting. The country—one of the world's most wired—plans to build

4234-488: Is affected by the East Asian monsoon , with precipitation heavier in summer during a short rainy season called jangma , which begins end of June and lasts through the end of July. In Seoul, the average January temperature range is −7 to 1 °C (19 to 34 °F), and the average August temperature range is 22 to 30 °C (72 to 86 °F). Winter temperatures are higher along the southern coast and considerably lower in

4380-402: Is also known as design-build. Modified versions of the "turnkey" procurement and BOT "build-operate-transfer" models exist for different types of public-private partnership (PPP) projects, in which the main contractor is appointed to design and construct the works. This contrasts with the traditional procurement route (the build-design model), where the client first appoints consultants to design

4526-412: Is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Hallasan , an extinct volcano , reaches 1,950 meters (6,400 feet) above sea level . The easternmost islands of South Korea include Ulleungdo and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo/Takeshima), while Marado and Socotra Rock are the southernmost islands of South Korea. South Korea tends to have a humid continental climate and a humid subtropical climate , and

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4672-449: Is concentrated in the summer months of June through September. The southern coast is subject to late summer typhoons that bring strong winds, heavy rains and sometimes floods. The average annual precipitation varies from 1,370 millimeters (54 in) in Seoul to 1,470 millimeters (58 in) in Busan. During the first 20 years of South Korea's growth surge, little effort was made to preserve

4818-499: Is different from the BOT (build-operate-transfer) delivery model, in which the private party does not own the project as an asset; they only receive a concession to operate it for a period of time. The BOOT delivery model is different from classical PPP (public-private partnerships) models which refer to project agreements where a private entity takes over the building and operation of government-owned infrastructure. Build-own-operate-transfer

4964-471: Is often the best kind of delivery model, in which a private sector party, or consortium, receives a mandate from a private or public sector client to finance, design, construct, own, and operate a long-term project. If you have been awarded a BOOT contract, this means that during that time period, you, the private party or your consortium, own and operate the facility. Your goal is to recover the costs of your investment, operations, and maintenance, and also make

5110-579: Is planned to cut travel time by 33 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. South Korea South Korea , officially the Republic of Korea ( ROK ), is a country in East Asia . It constitutes the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone ; though it also claims the land border with China and Russia . The country's western border is formed by

5256-574: Is the only such government in Korea." Both leaders engaged in authoritarian repression of political opponents. South Korea requested military support from the United States but was denied, and North Korea's military was heavily reinforced by the Soviet Union. On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, sparking the Korean War , the Cold War 's first major conflict, which continued until 1953. At

5402-512: The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis , the government decided to realise the Gyeongbu HSR in two phases. In a first phase, 222.1 km (138.0 mi) of the high-speed line would be finished by 2004, with trains travelling along the upgraded conventional line along the rest of the planned 409.8 km (254.6 mi) route. With the rest of the now 412 km (256 mi) long Gyeongbu HSR (now including 112 km (70 mi) of viaducts and 189 km (117 mi) of tunnels) finished, travel time

5548-489: The 38th parallel as the dividing line, as it placed Seoul under U.S. control. To the surprise of Rusk and Bonesteel, the Soviets accepted their proposal and agreed to divide Korea. Despite intentions to liberate a unified peninsula in the 1943 Cairo Declaration , escalating tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States led to the division of Korea into two political entities in 1948: North Korea and South Korea. In

5694-721: The Empire of Japan . Japanese rule ended following Japan's surrender in World War II , after which Korea was divided into two zones : a northern zone , which was occupied by the Soviet Union , and a southern zone , which was occupied by the United States . After negotiations on reunification failed, the southern zone became the Republic of Korea in August 1948, while the northern zone became

5840-680: The Gimcheon (Gumi) station on the high-speed line. New services introduced with the same timetable change leave the Gyeongbu HSR on the Seoul–Daejeon section to serve Suwon . With the opening of the Daegu-Busan section on 1 November 2010, the fastest Seoul–Busan services, using all of the Gyeongbu HSR with intermediate stops in Daejeon and Dongdaegu only, reduced the shortest travel times by 22 minutes to 2 hours 18 minutes. From 1 December 2010, Korail added

5986-634: The Gwangju Democratization Movement . Chun subsequently created the National Defense Emergency Policy Committee and took the presidency according to his political plan. Chun and his government held South Korea under a despotic rule until 1987, when a Seoul National University student, Park Jong-chul , was tortured to death. On June 10 , the Catholic Priests Association for Justice revealed

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6132-553: The Gyeongui Line to terminate at Haengsin station , a stop added due to the station's vicinity to the main KTX maintenance facility, Goyang depot. Passenger surveys in the first months found that the limited capacity of bus connections and the lack of subway connections for intermediate stations, especially the newly built stations Gwangmyeong and Cheonan-Asan, was the problem mentioned most often. A better connection to Cheonan-Asan station

6278-634: The Joseon Navy led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his renowned " turtle ship ") with assistance from righteous army militias formed by Korean civilians, and Ming dynasty Chinese troops. Through a series of successful battles of attrition, the Japanese forces were eventually forced to withdraw, and relations between all parties became normalized. However, the Manchus took advantage of Joseon's war-weakened state and invaded in 1627 and 1637 and then went on to conquer

6424-546: The Korea Strait and the East China Sea . The country, including all its islands, lies between latitudes 33° and 39°N , and longitudes 124° and 130°E . Its total area is 100,410 square kilometers (38,768.52 sq mi). South Korea can be divided into four general regions: an eastern region of high mountain ranges and narrow coastal plains; a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins , and rolling hills;

6570-567: The March First Movement protests in 1919 and the subsequent foundation of resistance groups in exile, primarily in China. Among the resistance groups was Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea . Towards the end of World War II , the U.S. proposed dividing the Korean peninsula into two occupation zones: a U.S. zone and a Soviet zone . Dean Rusk and Charles H. Bonesteel III suggested

6716-537: The Proto–Three Kingdoms period , the states of Buyeo , Okjeo , Dongye , and Samhan occupied the whole Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria. From them, the Three Kingdoms of Korea emerged: Goguryeo , Baekje , and Silla . Goguryeo, the largest and most powerful among them, was a highly militaristic state and competed with various Chinese dynasties during its 700 years of history. Goguryeo experienced

6862-527: The Red Turbans . However, in 1392, General Yi Seong-gye , who had been ordered to attack China, turned his army around and staged a coup. Yi Seong-gye declared the new name of Korea as "Joseon" in reference to Gojoseon, and moved the capital to Hanseong (one of the old names of Seoul ). The first 200 years of the Joseon dynasty were marked by peace and saw great advancements in science and education, as well as

7008-474: The Seoul subway system , and laid the foundation for economic development during his 17-year tenure, which ended with his assassination in 1979. The years after Park's assassination were marked again by political turmoil, as the previously suppressed opposition leaders all campaigned to run for president in the sudden political void. In 1979, General Chun Doo-hwan led the coup d'état of December Twelfth . Following

7154-739: The Shandong Peninsula and the mouth of the Yangtze River. However, Silla was later weakened due to internal strife and the revival of successor states Baekje and Goguryeo , which culminated into the Later Three Kingdoms period in the late 9th century. Buddhism flourished during this time. Many Korean Buddhists gained great fame among Chinese Buddhist circles and greatly contributed to Chinese Buddhism . Examples of significant Korean Buddhists from this period include Woncheuk , Wonhyo , Uisang , Musang , and Kim Gyo-gak . Kim

7300-469: The Yellow Sea , while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan . South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands . It has a population of 51.96 million, of which half live in the Seoul Capital Area , the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world . Other major cities include Busan , Daegu , and Incheon . The Korean Peninsula

7446-561: The communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea the following month. In 1950, a North Korean invasion began the Korean War , which ended in 1953 after extensive fighting involving the American-led United Nations Command and the People's Volunteer Army from China with Soviet assistance . The war left 3 million Koreans dead and the economy in ruins . The authoritarian First Republic of Korea led by Syngman Rhee

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7592-410: The fourteenth-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP . Its citizens enjoy one of the world's fastest Internet connection speeds and densest high-speed railway networks . The country is the world's ninth-largest exporter and ninth-largest importer . Its armed forces are ranked as one of the world's strongest militaries, with the world's second-largest standing army by military and paramilitary personnel . In

7738-450: The 1 November 2010, opening of the second phase of the Gyeongbu HSR, with travel times between 2 hours 55 minutes and 3 hours. Korail met local demands by introducing additional KTX services between Seoul and Dongdaegu in June 2007, which left the Gyeongbu HSR between Daejeon and Dongdaegu to serve Gimcheon and Gumi on the conventional line. These services were discontinued with the opening of

7884-548: The 14th century dynasty) in 2333 BCE by the legendary Dangun . Gojoseon was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century. Gojoseon expanded until it controlled the northern Korean Peninsula and parts of Manchuria . Gija Joseon was purportedly founded in the 12th century BCE, but its existence and role have been controversial in the modern era. In 108 BCE, the Han dynasty defeated Wiman Joseon and installed four commanderies in

8030-711: The 21st century, South Korea has been renowned for its globally influential pop culture, particularly in music , TV dramas , and cinema , a phenomenon referred to as the Korean Wave . It is a member of the OECD 's Development Assistance Committee , the G20 , the IPEF , and the Paris Club . The name Korea is an exonym , although it was derived from a historical kingdom name, Goryeo ( Revised Romanization ) or Koryŏ ( McCune–Reischauer ). Goryeo

8176-447: The 300 km/h (185 mph) maximum of high-speed trains on the market, thus, with project variants of up to 430.7 km (267.6 mi) line length, Seoul–Busan travel times of up to 2 hours 4 minutes were projected. Construction suffered from early quality problems. After an independent safety inspection in 1996, repairs were necessary on 190 locations, and even partial reconstruction was needed at another 39 locations. Meanwhile,

8322-406: The 4.0 km (2.5 mi) South Daegu Interconnection, 122.8 km (76.3 mi) of high-speed tracks, and a 1.3 km (0.81 mi) low-speed section connecting into Busan station, follow a long curve to the northeast of the existing Gyeongbu Line, with new stations for Gyeongju and Ulsan built well outside of the city centres. The Seoul–Busan travel distance along the second phase route

8468-458: The BOT framework a third party, for example the public administration, delegates to a private sector entity to design and build infrastructure and to operate and maintain these facilities for a certain period. During this period, the private party has the responsibility to raise the finance for the project and is entitled to retain all revenues generated by the project and is the owner of the regarded facilities. The facility will be then transferred to

8614-456: The Great and declined. Silla was the smallest and weakest of the three, but used opportunistic pacts and alliances with the more powerful Korean kingdoms, and eventually Tang China , to its advantage. In 676, the unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla led to the Northern and Southern States period , in which Balhae controlled the northern parts of Goguryeo, and much of the Korean Peninsula

8760-486: The Gyeongbu HSR or the parallel Gyeongbu Line only; and the Honam KTX Line, with trains leaving the Gyeongbu HSR at Daejeon and continuing on the conventional Honam Line . A number of other high-speed lines branching from the Gyeongbu HSR are in construction or planned, and several more KTX services using connecting conventional rail lines are also planned. After 2016, the privately owned SRT service started operations on

8906-518: The Gyeongbu Line, and helped to increase the total share of rail to a third. On the long-distance relations from Seoul to Daegu and Busan, KTX took both the majority of the market and the bulk of rail passengers, increasing the total share of rail from around two-fifths to a market dominating two-thirds by 2008. The terminal for most Gyeongbu KTX services is Seoul Station, but some trains continue beyond Seoul Station for 14.9 km (9.3 mi) along

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9052-580: The Honam KTX service. When introduced in 2004, the new service cut travel time between Yongsan in Seoul and Mokpo from 4 hours 42 minutes to 2 hours 58 minutes. From April 2011, the new Jeolla KTX service will use the same section of the Gyeongbu HSR to reach Yeosu along the Honam and Jeolla Lines, reducing the Seoul–Yeosu travel time from the current 5 hours 13 minutes to 2 hours 55 minutes. The new service will After

9198-577: The Japanese islands and displaced or intermingled with the original Jōmon inhabitants. The linguistic homeland of Proto- Koreans is located somewhere in southern Siberia / Manchuria , such as the Liao River area or the Amur River area. Proto-Koreans arrived in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula at around 300 BC, replacing and assimilating Japonic-speakers and likely causing the Yayoi migration. During

9344-557: The Korean crown prince. Henceforth, Goryeo continued to rule Korea, though as a tributary ally to the Mongols for the next 86 years. During this period, the two nations became intertwined as all subsequent Korean kings married Mongol princesses, and the last empress of the Yuan dynasty was a Korean princess. In the mid-14th century, Goryeo drove out the Mongols to regain its northern territories, briefly conquered Liaoyang , and defeated invasions by

9490-528: The Korean name. As a result, the Korean name "Daehan Minguk" is sometimes used by South Koreans as a metonym to refer to the Korean ethnicity (or " race ") as a whole, rather than just the South Korean state. The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. According to Korea's founding mythology , the history of Korea begins with the founding of Joseon (also known as " Gojoseon ", or "Old Joseon", to differentiate it with

9636-487: The Pandrol clips saw no prior use on another high-speed line. With the exception of the sections across Daejeon and Daegu, the second phase went into service on 1 November 2010. By that time, ₩4,905.7 billion was spent out of a second phase budget, or ₩17,643.4 billion out of the total. The two sections across the urban areas of Daejeon and Daegu, altogether 40.9 km (25.4 mi), will be finished by 2014, and will reduce

9782-597: The Sea , Marine Dumping , Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (not into force), Ozone Layer Protection , Ship Pollution , Tropical Timber 83 , Tropical Timber 94 , Wetlands , and Whaling . The South Korean government's structure is determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea . Like many democratic states, South Korea has a government divided into three branches: executive , judicial , and legislative . The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at

9928-427: The Seoul–Busan travel distance to 417.5 km (259.4 mi). As of October 2010, the total cost of the second phase was estimated at ₩7,945.4 billion, that for the entire project at ₩20,728.2 billion. The Honam HSR branches from the Gyeongbu HSR at its newly built Osong station , and is meant to accelerate Honam KTX services to Mokpo . The first stage from Osong to Gwangju started construction on December 2009, and

10074-446: The South Korean public. South Korea saw another milestone in 2012 with the first ever female President Park Geun-hye elected and assuming office. The daughter of former President Park Chung Hee, she carried on a conservative brand of politics. President Park Geun-hye's administration was formally accused of corruption, bribery, and influence-peddling for the involvement of close friend Choi Soon-sil in state affairs. There followed

10220-431: The South, the United States appointed and supported the former head of the Korean Provisional Government Syngman Rhee as leader. Rhee won the first presidential elections of the newly declared Republic of Korea in May 1948. In the North, the Soviets backed a former anti-Japanese guerrilla and communist activist, Kim Il Sung , who was appointed premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in September. In October,

10366-419: The Soviet Union declared Kim Il Sung's government as sovereign over both the north and south. The UN declared Rhee's government as "a lawful government having effective control and jurisdiction over that part of Korea where the UN Temporary Commission on Korea was able to observe and consult" and the government "based on elections which was observed by the Temporary Commission" in addition to a statement that "this

10512-456: The Vietnam War. Park was heavily criticized as a ruthless military dictator, who in 1972 extended his rule by creating a new constitution , which gave the president sweeping (almost dictatorial) powers and permitted him to run for an unlimited number of six-year terms. The Korean economy developed significantly during Park's tenure. The government developed the nationwide expressway system ,

10658-514: The bidding of the core system technology contract progressed through five rounds of evaluation, and the French and German consortia submitted final bids on 15 June 1993. KHSRCA announced that the GEC-Alsthom-led consortium was the preferred bidder on 20 August 1993, and the contract was signed on 14 June 1994. The consortium consisted of GEC-Alsthom and its Korean subsidiary Eukorail. The technology

10804-613: The capital of North Korea. Later that year, Kim received the Nobel Peace Prize "for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and in East Asia in general, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea in particular". However, because of discontent among the population for fruitless approaches to the North under the previous administrations and, amid North Korean provocations,

10950-644: The completion of the first stage of the Honam HSR and then the Suseo HSR, most Honam and Jeolla KTX services will use the Gyeongbu HSR only between the junction near Pyeongtaek and Osong. Services using the Gyeongbu HSR between Seoul and Dongdaegu, and diverging to the Gyeongbu Line to reach the Gyeongjeon Line, are operated as the Gyeongjeon KTX service, which started on 15 December 2010, initially reaching Masan with

11096-466: The conventional Gyeongbu Line: Regular service started on the first phase of the Gyeongbu HSR on 1 April 2004, with KTX-I trains reaching a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph). In response to frequent passenger complaints regarding speeds on the video display staying just below the advertised 300 mark, operating top speed was raised to 305 km/h (190 mph) on 26 November 2008. From 2 March 2010, KTX-II (KTX-Sancheon) trains began to use

11242-584: The coup d'état, Chun planned to rise to power through several measures. On May 17, Chun forced the Cabinet to expand martial law to the whole nation, which had previously not applied to Jeju Island . The expanded martial law closed universities, banned political activities, and further curtailed the press. Chun's assumption of the presidency through the events of May 17 triggered nationwide protests demanding democracy; these protests were particularly focused, Gwangju , to which Chun sent special forces to violently suppress

11388-430: The creation of Hangul by Sejong the Great to promote literacy among the common people. The prevailing ideology of the time was Neo-Confucianism , which was epitomized by the seonbi class: nobles who passed up positions of wealth and power to lead lives of study and integrity. Between 1592 and 1598, Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched invasions of Korea , but the advance was halted by Korean forces (most notably

11534-474: The current Sixth Republic. The country is now considered among the most advanced democracies in continental and East Asia. South Korea maintains a unitary presidential republic under the 1987 constitution with a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly . It is considered a regional power and a developed country , with its economy ranked as the world's fourteenth-largest by nominal GDP and

11680-409: The design and construction of the work to the employer’s requirements, the contractor is also responsible for operating and maintaining the completed facility. The operation and maintenance period will span decades, during which time the contractor is said to have the "concession," is responsible for the operation of the facility, and benefits from operational income. The facility itself, however, remains

11826-561: The destabilized Ming dynasty. After normalizing relations with the new Qing dynasty , Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace. Kings Yeongjo and Jeongjo particularly led a new renaissance of the Joseon dynasty during the 18th century. In the 19th century, Joseon began experiencing economic difficulties and widespread uprisings, including the Donghak Peasant Revolution . The royal in-law families had gained control of

11972-437: The development and then a contractor to construct the work. The private contractor designs and builds a facility for a fixed fee, rate, or total cost, which is one of the key criteria in selecting the winning bid. The contractor assumes the risks involved in the design and construction phases. Turnkey procurement under a design-build contract means that the design-build team would serve as the owner’s representative to determine

12118-565: The dispersion of knowledge on philosophy, literature, religion, and science. By 1100, there were 12 universities that produced notable scholars. However, the Mongol invasions in the 13th century greatly weakened the kingdom. Goryeo was never conquered by the Mongols, but exhausted after three decades of fighting, the Korean court sent its crown prince to the Yuan capital to swear allegiance to Kublai Khan , who accepted and married one of his daughters to

12264-453: The electrification of the short connecting section at Daejeon and the Daegu-Busan section of the existing Gyeongbu Line, as well as the entire Honam Line from Daejeon to Mokpo. The Seoul–Busan route length was reduced from 441.7 to 408.5 km (274.5 to 253.8 mi). The infrastructure and rolling stock were built in the framework of a technology transfer agreement between core system supplier Alstom and local companies, with Alstom's part of

12410-428: The end of the contractual period (typically in the order of decades), ownership of the construction is given back to the state (or federal actor). You may receive a fee for this transfer. The scale of investment by the private sector and type of arrangement means there is typically no strong incentive for early completion of a project or to deliver a product at a reasonable price. This type of private sector participation

12556-467: The environment. Unchecked industrialization and urban development have resulted in deforestation and the ongoing destruction of wetlands such as the Songdo Tidal Flat. However, there have been recent efforts to balance these problems, including a government run $ 84 billion five-year green growth project that aims to boost energy efficiency and green technology. The green-based economic strategy

12702-532: The environmental impact assessment of the Wonhyo Tunnel, which passes under a wetland area. The dispute gained nationwide and international attention due to the repeated hunger strikes of a Buddhist nun, led to a suspension of works in 2005, and only ended with a supreme court ruling in June 2006. For the second phase of the Gyeongbu HSR, the RHEDA ;2000 ballastless track system of German manufacturer RAIL.ONE

12848-457: The exception of the short-lived Second Republic of Korea , the country has always had a presidential system with an independent chief executive. Under its current constitution the state is sometimes referred to as the Sixth Republic of Korea . The first direct election was also held in 1948. Build-Operate-Transfer BOT is usually a model used in public–private partnerships . Due to

12994-481: The expertise and efficiency that the private entity is expected to bring as well as the risk transfer . Therefore, the private entity bears a substantial part of the risk. These are some types of the most common risks involved: The BOOT procurement strategy utilizes project finance to fund large-scale greenfield infrastructure projects such as local power stations, water treatment facilities and sewage facilities, or transit infrastructure, etc. The BOOT delivery model

13140-416: The foreseen Seoul-Busan travel time was 1 hour 51 minutes, the project was to be implemented by August 1998, and costs were estimated at 5,846.2 billion South Korean won (₩) in 1988 prices, of which ₩4.8 trillion was foreseen for the high-speed line itself, and the remainder for rolling stock. In 1991, bids were called for the supply and technology transfer of the core system technology, which in addition to

13286-518: The fourth largest city in the world. It experienced a golden age of art and culture, exemplified by monuments such as Hwangnyongsa , Seokguram , and the Emille Bell . It also carried on the maritime legacy and prowess of Baekje, and during the 8th and 9th centuries dominated the seas of East Asia and the trade between China, Korea, and Japan, most notably during the time of Jang Bogo . In addition, Silla people made overseas communities in China on

13432-477: The government, leading to mass corruption and weakening of the state. In addition, the strict isolationism of the Joseon government that earned it "the hermit kingdom " became increasing ineffective due to increasing encroachment from powers such as Japan, Russia, and the United States. This is exemplified by the Joseon–United States Treaty of 1882 , in which it was compelled to open its borders. In

13578-689: The incident, igniting the June Democratic Struggle across the country. Eventually, Chun's party, the Democratic Justice Party , and its leader, Roh Tae-woo , announced the June 29 Declaration , which included the direct election of the president. Roh went on to win the election by a narrow margin against the two main opposition leaders, Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam . Seoul hosted the Olympic Games in 1988 , widely regarded as successful and

13724-743: The late 19th century, Japan became a significant regional power after winning the First Sino-Japanese War against Qing China and the Russo-Japanese War against the Russian Empire . In 1897, King Gojong, the last king of Korea , proclaimed Joseon as the Korean Empire . However, Japan compelled Korea to become its protectorate in 1905 and formally annexed it in 1910. What followed was a period of forced assimilation, in which Korean language, culture, and history were suppressed. This led to

13870-584: The line in commercial service with the same top speed. As of 2011, all KTX services routed along the line also use sections of connected conventional mainlines. The first incident on the high-speed line happened on 11 February 2011, when a KTX-Sancheon train bound for Seoul from Busan derailed on a switch in the Iljik Tunnel, 500 m (1,600 ft) before Gwangmyeong station, when travelling at around 90 km/h (56 mph). No casualties were reported, only one passenger suffered slight injury, but KTX traffic

14016-508: The long-term nature of the arrangement, the fees are usually raised during the concession period. The rate of increase is often tied to a combination of internal and external variables, allowing the proponent to reach a satisfactory internal rate of return for its investment. Countries where BOT is prevalent are Thailand , Turkey , Taiwan , Bahrain , Pakistan , Saudi Arabia , Israel , India , Iran , Croatia , Japan , China , Vietnam , Malaysia , Philippines , Egypt , Myanmar and

14162-408: The longest and second longest tunnels in Korea once the line is opened. The original plans foresaw a second-phase opening in 2008, with new trains cruising at a top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph) cutting Seoul-Busan travel times to just 1 hours 56 minutes. However, construction was delayed, and trains with higher top speeds weren't yet available. The main cause of delay was a long dispute over

14308-415: The mountainous interior. Summer can be uncomfortably hot and humid, with temperatures exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) in most parts of the country. South Korea has four distinct seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring usually lasts from late March to early May, summer from mid-May to early September, autumn from mid-September to early November, and winter from mid-November to mid-March. Rainfall

14454-607: The nation rapidly developed to become one of the Four Asian Tigers based on international trade and economic globalization , integrating itself within the world economy with export-oriented industrialization . The Fourth Republic was established after the October Restoration of 1972, in which Park wielded absolute power. The Yushin Constitution declared that the president could suspend basic human rights and appoint

14600-478: The national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels. Local governments are semi-autonomous and contain executive and legislative bodies of their own. South Korea is a constitutional democracy. The constitution has been revised several times since its first promulgation in 1948 at independence. However, it has retained many broad characteristics and with

14746-423: The new service cut travel time between Seoul and Busan from 4 hours 10 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes. The Seoul–Busan travel distance was shortened from 441.7 to 408.5 km (274.5 to 253.8 mi) The fastest services made intermediate stops only in Daejeon and Daegu, other stations were served by trains with different stopping patterns. Some Gyeongbu KTX services will continue to serve the original relation after

14892-635: The next years, several feasibility studies were prepared for a high-speed line with a Seoul–Busan travel time of 1 hour 30 minutes, which gave positive results. In 1989, following the go-ahead for the project, the institutions to manage its preparation were established: the Gyeongbu High Speed Electric Railway & New International Airport Committee, and the High Speed Electric Railway Planning Department (later renamed HSR Project Planning Board). In 1990,

15038-461: The north and the south, the war eventually reached a stalemate. During the war, Rhee's party promoted the One-People Principle , an effort to build an obedient citizenry through ethnic homogeneity and authoritarian appeals to nationalism . The 1953 armistice , never signed by South Korea, split the peninsula along the demilitarized zone near the original demarcation line. No peace treaty

15184-475: The northern Korean peninsula. Three of the commanderies fell or retreated westward within a few decades. As Lelang Commandery was destroyed and rebuilt around this time, the place gradually moved toward Liaodong. Thus, its force was diminished and only served as a trade center until it was conquered by Goguryeo in 313. Beginning around 300 BC, the Japonic -speaking Yayoi people from the Korean Peninsula entered

15330-426: The official name for the entire territory, though it was not universally accepted. The new official name has its origin in the ancient kingdom of Gojoseon (2333 BCE). In 1897, the Joseon dynasty changed the country's official name from Joseon to Daehan Jeguk ( Korean Empire ). The name Daehan (Great Han) derives from Samhan (Three Han), referring to the Three Kingdoms of Korea , not the ancient confederacies in

15476-529: The peoples who traded with this part of the world known by the Portuguese as the Gores . Despite the coexistence of the spellings Corea and Korea in 19th-century publications, some Koreans believe that Imperial Japan , around the time of the Japanese occupation, intentionally standardized the spelling of Korea , making Japan appear first alphabetically. After Goryeo was replaced by Joseon in 1392, Joseon became

15622-420: The project amounting to US$ 2.1 billion resp. €1.5 billion. Other foreign contributors included SNCF (training and supervision of infrastructure and operations), Pandrol and Vossloh (rail fastenings), and Cegelec (catenary). Their domestic partners for the infrastructure parts were LG Industrial Systems and Samsung (signalling and train control); ILJIN and LG Cable (catenary). SYSTRA and Bechtel

15768-543: The project are combined under one private contractor. Hart (2003) argues that under bundling incentives to make cost-reducing investments are larger than under unbundling. However, sometimes the incentives to make cost-reducing investments may be excessive because they lead to overly large reductions of quality, so it depends on the details of the project whether bundling or unbundling is optimal. Hart's (2003) work has been extended in many directions. For example, Bennett and Iossa (2006) and Martimort and Pouyet (2008) investigate

15914-415: The project cover its cost and provide sufficient return on investment . On the other hand, the viability of the project for the host government depends on its efficiency in comparison with the economics of financing the project with public funds. Even if the host government could borrow money on better conditions than a private company could, other factors could offset this particular advantage. For example,

16060-420: The project management after the repairs have been completed. In contract theory , several authors have studied the pros and cons of bundling the building and operating stages of infrastructure projects. In particular, Oliver Hart (2003) has used the incomplete contracting approach in order to investigate whether incentives to make non-contractible investments are smaller or larger when the different stages of

16206-471: The project was modified to include the downtown passages of Daejeon and Daegu, as well as additional stations along the phase 1 section at Osong , between Cheonan and Daejeon; and Gimcheon , (between Daejeon and Daegu. Consequently, the budget was increased to 7,190.0 billion won, and the government's share of the funding was increased by 5 percentage points to 50%. Construction started in June 2002. The 128.1 km (79.6 mi) of new tracks, consisting of

16352-467: The project, the option of a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) franchise was rejected as too risky. Funding included direct government grants (35%), government (10%) and foreign (18%) loans, domestic bond sales (31%) and private capital (6%). KHSRCA started construction of the Gyeongbu high-speed railway (Gyeongbu HSR) on 30 June 1992, on the 57 km (35 mi) long section from Cheonan to Daejeon , which

16498-413: The project, while the client finances the project and retains ownership. DBFO stands for design-build-finance-operate, which also assigns the responsibility to the private organization to design, build, finance, and operate. Financing your competitive project may be easy when there is a high demand for a service right now, and investors will throw money at any project that claims the spoils, such as opening

16644-438: The property of the employer. A DBO(design-build-operate) contract is a project delivery model in which a single contractor is appointed to design and build a project and then to operate it for a period of time. The common form of such a contract is a PPP (public-private partnership), in which a public client (e.g., a government or public agency) enters into a contract with a private contractor to design, build, and then operate

16790-405: The public administration at the end of the concession agreement , without any remuneration of the private entity involved. Some or even all of the following different parties could be involved in any BOT project: A BOT project is typically used to develop a discrete asset rather than a whole network and is generally entirely new or greenfield in nature (although refurbishment may be involved). In

16936-497: The railway from Suseo station in Seoul. The Seoul - Busan axis is Korea's main traffic corridor. In 1995, it housed 73.3% of Korea's population, and conducted 70% of the freight traffic and 66% of the passenger traffic. With both the Gyeongbu Expressway and Korail 's Gyeongbu Line congested, the government saw the need of another mode of transport. The first proposals for a second Seoul-Busan railway line originated from

17082-467: The resignation of the autocratic President Syngman Rhee. This was followed by 13 months of political instability as South Korea was led by a weak and ineffectual government. This instability was broken by the May 16, 1961, coup led by General Park Chung Hee . As president, Park oversaw a period of rapid export-led economic growth enforced by political repression . Under Park, South Korea took an active role in

17228-585: The rolling stock also included the catenary and signalling of the line. On 26 August 1991, three competitors submitted bids: consortia led by GEC-Alsthom (today Alstom ), one of the builders of France's TGV trains; Siemens , one of the builders of Germany's ICE trains; and Mitsubishi , one of the builders of Japan's Shinkansen trains. Once planning progressed, in March 1992, the Korea High Speed Rail Construction Authority (KHSRCA)

17374-675: The ruling family by Wang Geon, thus unifying the two successor nations of Goguryeo. Like Silla, Goryeo was a highly cultural state, and invented the metal movable type printing press . After defeating the Khitan Empire, which was the most powerful empire of its time, in the Goryeo–Khitan War , Goryeo experienced a golden age that lasted a century, during which the Tripitaka Koreana was completed and significant developments in printing and publishing occurred. This promoted education and

17520-402: The southern Korean Peninsula. However, the name Joseon was still widely used by Koreans to refer to their country, though it was no longer the official name. Under Japanese rule , the two names Han and Joseon coexisted. Following the surrender of Japan , in 1945, the "Republic of Korea" was adopted as the legal English name for the new country. However, it is not a direct translation of

17666-402: The specific needs of the user groups; meet with the vendors to select the best options and pricing; advise the owner on the most logical options; plan and build the spaces to accommodate the function of the project; coordinate purchases and timelines; install the infrastructure; facilitate training of staff to use the equipment; and outline care and maintenance. In addition to being responsible for

17812-570: The successful hosting of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang . In April 2018, Park Geun-hye was sentenced to 24 years in jail because of abuse of power and corruption. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the nation since 2020. That same year, South Korea recorded more deaths than births, resulting in a population decline for the first time on record. In March 2022, Yoon Suk Yeol , the candidate of conservative opposition People Power Party , won

17958-439: The test section was finished to enable trials with trains. The test section extended to 57.2 km (35.5 mi) on 26 June 2000. After further design changes, the high-speed tracks were finished over a length of 223.6 km (138.9 mi), with 15.0 km (9.3 mi) of interconnections to the conventional Gyeongbu Line, including at a short interruption at Daejeon. The high-speed section itself included 84 viaducts with

18104-435: The then current 106,000 to 135,000 passengers a day. On the short distance relation between Seoul and Cheonan, due to the short distance and the location of the KTX station outside the city, KTX gained only a very modest market share, with little effect on the overall modal share of intercity rail. On the medium-distance relation from Seoul to Daejeon, KTX gained market share mostly at the expense of normal express services on

18250-404: The three sections were connected to the parallel conventional Gyeongbu Line by tracks that will serve as interconnector branches upon the completion of the entire line. On 1 August 2015, construction on urban areas of Daejeon and Daegu were completed; all the sections of HSR line were connected. As of November 2010, two train services use the line: the Gyeongbu KTX Line, with trains running along

18396-488: The time, the Soviet Union had boycotted the UN, thus forfeiting their veto rights . This allowed the UN to intervene in a civil war when it became apparent that the superior North Korean forces would unify the entire country. The Soviet Union and China backed North Korea, with the later participation of millions of Chinese troops . After an ebb and flow that saw both sides facing defeat with massive losses among Korean civilians in both

18542-521: The total land area. South Korea has 20 national parks and popular nature places like the Boseong Tea Fields, Suncheon Bay Ecological Park , and Jirisan . About 3,000 islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts of South Korea. Jeju Province is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the southern coast of South Korea. It is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometers (712 square miles). Jeju

18688-412: The week only were introduced, while overall frequency was reduced. Since then, total weekly train frequency was increased with every timetable change, and fluctuates between a minimum of 120 services from Tuesdays to Thursdays to a maximum of 154 services on Saturdays in the 17 January 2011 timetable. When the project was started, initial ridership on the Gyeongbu HSR was expected to be 200,000 passengers

18834-590: Was a Silla prince whose influence made Mount Jiuhua one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Chinese Buddhism. In 936, the Later Three Kingdoms were united by Wang Geon , who established Goryeo as the successor state of Goguryeo. Balhae had fallen to the Khitan Empire in 926, and a decade later the last crown prince of Balhae fled south to Goryeo, where he was warmly welcomed and included in

18980-571: Was almost identical to that found on the high-speed lines of France's TGV system. Track-related design specifications included a design speed of 350 km/h (215 mph), standard gauge , continuously welded rails with UIC  60 profile (60 kg/m (120 lb/yd)), 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) wide concrete sleepers, 35 cm (14 in) high ballast bed, swing-nose switches for high-speed passage, 25 kV/60 Hz electrification , standard French TVM 430 automatic cab signalling and centralised train control . Following

19126-448: Was also involved in project management. After 12 years of construction, service using the first phase of the Gyeongbu HSR started on 1 April 2004. The Daegu–Busan section of the Gyeongbu HSR became a separate project with the July 1998 project revision, with a budget of ₩5,698.1 billion, to be funded from direct government and private sources at the same ratios as for phase 1. In August 2006,

19272-427: Was blocked until repairs for 29 hours. Preliminary investigation indicated that the accident resulted from a series of human errors, Workers had improperly repaired a point along the tracks. Investigators found that the derailment was caused by a switch malfunction triggered by a loose nut from track, and suspected that a repairman failed to tighten it during maintenance the previous night. The switch's detectors signalled

19418-452: Was chosen. However, construction faced quality problems concerning sleepers and fastenings. In February 2009, cracks were found on 332 newly laid concrete sleepers on the 96.9 km (60.2 mi) long section between Daegu and Ulsan , the cause of which was improper water insulation. Meanwhile, it was revealed that the Pandrol and Vossloh clips chosen for the rail fastenings were submitted to indoor tests only, omitting field tests, and

19564-528: Was confirmed by the government. On 1 September 2010, the government released a new strategic plan, with the aim to reduce travel times for 95% of Korea to under 2 hours by 2020. Longer-term plans under consideration included a branch from the Gyeongbu HSR to Jinju and further to the southern coast. Six new stations were built along the Gyeongbu HSR. From Seoul to Busan: Once complete, the Gyeongbu HSR will directly connect to four existing main stations in major cities, which KTX trains currently reach on tracks of

19710-552: Was controlled by Later Silla . Relationships between Korea and China remained relatively peaceful during this time. Balhae was founded by a Goguryeo general and formed as a successor state to Goguryeo. During its height, Balhae controlled most of Manchuria and parts of the Russian Far East and was called the "Prosperous Country in the East". Late Silla was a wealthy country, and its metropolitan capital of Gyeongju grew to become

19856-473: Was established as a separate body with own budget responsible for the project. In the 1993 reappraisal of the project, the finishing date was pushed out to May 2002, and estimated costs grew to ₩10.74 trillion. 82% of the cost increase was due to a 90% increase of unit costs in the construction sector (mostly labour costs but also material costs), the remainder due to alignment changes (longer route, more stations), though some city tunnels were dropped. To finance

20002-585: Was ever signed, resulting in the two countries remaining technically at war. Approximately 3 million people died in the Korean War, with a higher proportional civilian death toll than World War II or the Vietnam War , making it one of the deadliest conflicts of the Cold War era. In addition, virtually all of Korea's major cities were destroyed by the war. In 1960, a student uprising (the " April Revolution ") led to

20148-494: Was foreseen to be 1 hour 56 minutes. The budget for the first phase was set at ₩12,737.7 billion, that for the entire project at ₩18,435.8 billion in 1998 prices. While the share of government contributions remained unchanged, the share of foreign loans, domestic bond sales and private capital changed to 24%, 29% and 2%. Well ahead of the opening of the Gyeongbu HSR for regular service, in December 1999, 34.4 km (21.4 mi) of

20294-449: Was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. After the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The succeeding Korean Empire (1897–1910) was annexed in 1910 into

20440-463: Was intended for use as test track. Construction started before the choice of the main technology supplier, thus alignment design was set out to be compatible with all choices. Superstructure-related design specifications included a minimum curve radius of 7,000 m (22,966 ft), a maximum gradient of 1.5%, which was later increased to 2.5%, an open line cross section including two tracks with centerlines 5.0 m (16 ft 5 in) apart, and

20586-664: Was overthrown in the April Revolution of 1960. However, the Second Republic failed to control the revolutionary fervor. The May 16 coup of 1961 led by Park Chung Hee put an end to the Second Republic, signaling the start of the Third Republic in 1963. South Korea's devastated economy began to soar under Park's leadership, recording one of the fastest rises in average GDP per capita . Despite lacking natural resources,

20732-529: Was provided by an extension of Seoul Subway Line 1 along the Janghang Line , opened on 14 December 2008. Gwangmyeong station was linked to the same subway line by a shuttle service on 15 December 2006, but it made little impact due to the longtime differences between KTX and subway train schedules. Services using the Gyeongbu HSR only from Seoul to Daejeon and continuing all along the Honam Line are operated as

20878-488: Was sunk killing 46 South Korean sailors, allegedly by a North Korean submarine. In November 2010 Yeonpyeongdo was attacked by a significant North Korean artillery barrage, with 4 people dying. The lack of a strong response to these attacks from both South Korea and the international community (the official UN report declined to explicitly name North Korea as the perpetrator for the Cheonan sinking) caused significant anger with

21024-558: Was the shortened name officially adopted by Goguryeo in the 5th century and the name of its 10th-century successor state Goryeo. Visiting Arab and Persian merchants pronounced its name as "Korea". The modern name of Korea appears in the first Portuguese maps of 1568 by João vaz Dourado as Conrai and later in the late 16th century and early 17th century as Corea (Korea) in the maps of Teixeira Albernaz of 1630. The Kingdom of Goryeo became first known to Westerners when Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Malacca in 1511 and described

21170-508: Was to complete the project by 2014. Singyeongju station on the second phase section of the Gyeongbu HSR is to become a junction with the re-aligned Ulsan-Gyeongju-Pohang section of the Donghae Nambu Line , which is to open in 2014. On 23 April 2009, the project was approved by the government and a ground-breaking ceremony was held. In January 2010, the early completion of the Pohang branch

21316-403: Was to planned be opened in 2014 with actual opening date of April 1, 2015. A branch from the existing Gyeongbu HSR near its northern end to Suseo-dong , a southeastern ward of Seoul, was in the original plans of the Honam HSR. The Suseo High-Speed Railway was announced as a separate project, on a route from a junction with the Gyeongbu HSR at Pyeongtaek to Suseo, on 30 December 2009. The goal

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