South Korea’s KTX high-speed passenger service began in 2004.
KTX operations started on 1 April 2004, introducing high-speed rail to the Korean peninsula. The first service used trains based on France’s TGV technology and initially operated on the Gyeongbu and Honam corridors. KTX dramatically reduced travel times between Seoul and major southern cities.
South Korea later developed domestic train designs, including KTX-Sancheon, rather than relying only on the original French-derived sets. The network also expanded with new high-speed lines and upgraded conventional routes.
KTX is sometimes confused with Korea’s wider railway system or with a single train model. The term refers to a high-speed passenger service brand. Its launch year is 2004, while construction and testing took place during earlier years.