A Preliminary Report of a Comparative Study on Short-distance Transport System in Japan and Korea

Abstract

Due to colonial rule, Japan and Korea had similar transportation systems where railways took charge not only of short-distance transpotation but also of medium- and long-distance transportation. When motorization progressed after World War II, railways in South Korea was specialized in medium- and long-distance transportation while railways in Japan continued to take charge of short-distance transportation. The advantages and disadvantages of different transportation systems can be presented by comparing the transportation systems of both countries and their formation processes.