Chaevi is rapidly expanding its high-speed electric vehicle (EV) charging network along Korea’s highways, positioning itself at the center of a surge in EV adoption and a growing push for more seamless long-distance charging. The company said Monday it began operating eight rapid chargers on July 1 at Chilseo Service Area (westbound) and Geochang Service Area (eastbound), with broader nationwide deployment set to follow. By the end of July, Chaevi plans to activate 117 additional chargers across 24 locations, and an extra 21 chargers at three sites later this year, totaling 138 units at 27 highway service areas across the regions of Gwangju and South Jeolla, Daegu and North Gyeongsang, and Busan and South Gyeongsang. Of the new units, 85 are compatible with the North American Charging Standard, allowing Tesla drivers to charge without adapters. The rollout comes as Korea’s EV market continues to expand sharply. The trade ministry said EV sales reached 35,416 units in May, up 65.4 percent from a year earlier. From January to May, cumulative EV sales totaled 162,026 units, more than dou