Koreas Relink Railways After 56 Years
By Lee Jin-woo
Staff Reporter
South Korea's point man on inter-Korean affairs said Thursday Seoul hopes to start inter-Korean train runs on a regular basis this year.
He also emphasized the great symbolic meaning of the historic railway tests runs, which were carried out for the first time in more than a half a century since the 1950-53 Korean War.
``I hope the two Koreas can begin train operations on a regular basis this year, even if it's only partially allowed on a short-distance track,'' Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said.
During the 13th inter-Korean economic cooperation talks in Pyongyang last month, Seoul promised to send light industry raw materials worth some $80 million to Pyongyang in return for the railway test run. The agreement, however, failed to guarantee further inter-Korean train runs on a regular basis.
Two trains, carrying 100 South Korean passengers and 50 North Koreans, crossed the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on both the western and eastern sides of the Korean Peninsula at around 12:20 p.m.
Attending a ceremony at Munsan Station, where a five-car train departed on a 27.3 kilometer trip to its destination in Gaesong, Minister Lee and his North Korean counterpart Kwon Ho-ung delivered commemorative speeches.
``We should make great contributions to everlasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and begin a new era by establishing a new inter-Korean transportation system,'' Lee said. ``We have no time to waste over this great mission.''
Kwon said North Korea would contribute to the further development of inter-Korean train operations in the future, but sharply criticized South Korean conservative groups, which have opposed inter-Korean economic cooperation projects including the railway links.
``Even at this moment, those who are against the unification of Koreans are challenging our efforts,'' Kwon said. ``We should continue making efforts on our own without being swayed by such groups.''
At Geumgangsan Station on the east coast of North Korea, Lee Yong-sup, South Korea's construction minister, and Kim Yong-sam, the North's railway minister, officiated at a similar ceremony.
In the eastern section, the North's train departed for Jejin Station in the South, 25.5-kilometers away.
Cheong Wa Dae also issued a statement, saying the test run of cross-border railways would serve to facilitate peace on the peninsula and inter-Korean economic unity.
``Today is a very meaningful day. The opening of the inter-Korean railways will lead to the building of peace and economic unity on the Korean Peninsula,'' it said. ``From now on, the government will gradually develop inter-Korean relations with patience.''
The reconnection of roads and train lines severed during the Korean War was one of the tangible inter-Korean rapprochement projects agreed upon following the historic summit between former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in June 2000.
In March, the two Koreas agreed to put humanitarian and economic inter-Korean projects back on track just days after North Korea promised to take the first steps toward its nuclear dismantlement in return for energy aid and other concessions from the other five members of the six-party talks.
The two Koreas are still technically at war, as the Korean War ended in an armistice, not in a peace treaty.