South Korea

Transportation, energy and infrastructure

Transportation, energy and infrastructureMain articles: and The Korean developed can travel at over 350 km/h (220 mph)

South Korea has a technologically advanced transport network consisting of high-speed railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services, and air routes that criss-cross the country. operates the toll highways and service amenities en route.

provides frequent train services to all major South Korean cities. Two rail lines, and , to North Korea are now being reconnected. The Korean system, , provides high-speed service along and . Major cities including Seoul, , , , and have urban rapid transit systems. Express bus terminals are available in most cities.

South Korea's largest airport, , was completed in 2001. By 2007, it was serving 30 million passengers a year. Other international airports include , and . There are also seven domestic airports, and a large number of .

's station The Korean developed is the world's second commercially operating

, founded in 1962, served 21,640,000 passengers, including 12,490,000 international passengers in 2008. A second carrier, , established in 1988, also serves domestic and international traffic. Combined, South Korean airlines serve 297 international routes. Smaller airlines, such as , provide domestic service with lower fares.

South Korea is the world's fifth-largest producer and the second-largest in Asia as of 2010. supplies 45% of electricity production, and research is very active with investigation into a variety of advanced reactors, including a small modular reactor, a liquid-metal fast/ reactor and a high-temperature generation design. Fuel production and waste handling technologies have also been developed locally. It is also a member of the project.

South Korea is an emerging exporter of , having concluded agreements with the to build and maintain four advanced nuclear reactors, with for a research nuclear reactor, and with for construction and repair of heavy-water nuclear reactors. As of 2010, South Korea and are in negotiations regarding construction of two nuclear reactors. South Korea is also preparing to bid on construction of a light-water nuclear reactor for Argentina.

South Korea is not allowed to or develop traditional uranium enrichment technology on its own, because of US political pressure, unlike most major nuclear powers such as Japan, Germany, and France, competitors of South Korea in the international nuclear market. This impediment to South Korea's indigenous nuclear industrial undertaking has sparked occasional diplomatic rows between the two allies. While South Korea is successful in exporting its electricity-generating nuclear technology and nuclear reactors, it cannot capitalize on the , preventing it from further expanding its export niche. South Korea has sought unique technologies such as to circumvent these obstacles and seek a more advantageous competition. The US has recently been wary of South Korea's burgeoning nuclear program, which South Korea insists will be for civilian use only.

South Korea is the third highest ranked Asian country in the World Economic Forum's (NRI) after Singapore and Hong Kong respectively – an indicator for determining the development level of a country's information and communication technologies. South Korea ranked number 10 overall in the 2014 NRI ranking, up from 11 in 2013.