Achievement of the KTX project for the past year and improvement measures - compared with those of the Tokaido Shinkansen-

고속철도 운행1년의 성과와 개선 방향 -일본의 동해도 신간선과 비교하여-

In this paper, I scrutinize what Korea has achieved from the KTX(Korea Train Express) project for the past one year of operation since it was open to public in April 2004 while looking into some improvement measures for better services in the future. I tried to compare the clements with those of the Tokaido Shinkasen in Japan. As things may turn at its premier operation, the KTX has been suffering from a small number of passengers, low in demand. However, when I compared the previous year with the post KTX operation of one year, demand of the passenger has increased $40\%$ on Kyong-bu line. I figured the first one year of the KTX operation pretty much followed in the footstep of the Tokaido Shinkansen's. For example, the rate of the each train to be on time as the timetable was equivalent while KTX went through less technical problems than the Tokaido Shinkansen. I have come up with some ideas for improvement, which I believe will lead to the development growth of KTX. First, I suggest that we complete the construction of laying new rails on Kyong-bu line at the earliest possible time. Second, we need to extend the high speed network as well as the rail modernization. Last, I have no doubt that we should secure high technology before we forge in the overseas markets.