INCHEON, South Korea, May 14 -- South Korea on Wednesday unveiled its first ever domestically-developed urban maglev train and planned to start the passenger service in mid- July.

The urban maglev train, with a maximum speed of 111 kilometers per hour, runs from Incheon international airport to Yongyu at a route length of 6.1 kilometers.

The train was awarded with the performance certification on four trains for passenger service after passing all 52 test items required by national regulations at a trial ride ceremony on Wednesday.

"Comparing with the traditional light rail train, the maglev train has so many advantages as it floats above its rails by using magnetic force. It has no friction, little noise and vibration," said Han Kyu-Hwan, vice chairman and CEO of Hyundai-Rotem Ltd, the corporation manufacturing the train.

The bogies wrap halfway around the rail, eliminating the risk of derailments or rollover accidents, he added.

He said the construction cost of the Incheon international airport demonstration line were 42.7 billion won (41.6 million U.S. dollars) per kilometers, similar with other light rail system. But the maintenance and labor costs will be lower as it has no consumable parts such as wheels, gears or bearings. The maglev train can also save 20 to 30 percent energy and run in a totally environment-friendly way.

South Korea's ministry of land, infrastructure, and transportation launched the Urban Maglev Program in 2006, aiming at developing the urban maglev system for commercial service on the demonstration line and promoting eco-friendly, safe, comfortable and economical urban transportation service to home and abroad.

Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), the first South Korean institute starting to research and develop the maglev train technology in 1989, was funded by the ministry to implement the national R&D program.

"South Korea is planning to expand the urban maglev train to other areas of the country and also abroad," said Im Yong-Taek, the president of KIMM.

He said the country will implement the maglev train to Metro Line No.2 in Daejeon, a city in the middle of South Korea, with passenger service beginning in 2020. This new commuter maglev train expects to carry at least 13,000 passengers per day at a 36 kilometer line with 30 stations.

Han Kyu-Hwan added that South Korea is planning to export the urban maglev train to St. Petersburg of Russia, Jakarta International Airport of Indonesia and other foreign countries. The transfer of urban maglev technology to Russia is now underway.

"The global market of high speed train is a highly competitive 'red ocean', while the green transportation such as the maglev train is in a less competitive 'blue ocean'. South Korea must venture and pioneer in the new market abroad," said Han.