This paper deals with the evaluation of environmental impact of rail and road transport in South Korea. A framework of energy input-output analysis is employed to estimate the total energy consumption and $CO_2$ emission in acquiring and using a life cycle of passenger and freight transport activity. The reliability of $CO_2$ emission based on uncertainty values is assessed by means of a Monte Carlo simulation. The results show that on a passenger-kilometers basis, passenger roads have life cycle emissions about 1.5 times those of rail, while that ratio is ten times greater when the scope of evaluation regards the tailpipe. In the case of freight transport, on a million ton-kilometers basis, the value for road mode is estimated to be about three times compared to those of rail mode. The results also show that the main contribution of $CO_2$ emission for road transport is the operation stage, accounting for 70%; however, the main contribution for rail transport is the construction and supply chain stage, accounting for over 50% emission.