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| The two Koreas will hold a groundbreaking ceremony, Wednesday, in Gaeseong, North Korea, for a project aimed at modernizing and connecting roads and railways across the Demilitarized Zone. / Joint Press Corps |
Trump says he looks forward to next summit with Kim
By Yi Whan-woo
The two Koreas will jointly hold a groundbreaking ceremony, Wednesday, for a project aimed at modernizing and connecting roads and railways across the Demilitarized Zone.
The ceremony will be made possible as the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), despite economic sanctions against the North, has granted sanctions exemptions for the preliminary steps of the joint railway project.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday the UNSC, after approving a feasibility study in November, also granted exemptions for the groundbreaking ceremony.
"We've consulted the council's Sanctions Committee on North Korea, Monday, and settled all relevant issues to proceed with the groundbreaking ceremony," the ministry said. "This means we can go ahead with the ceremony on Wednesday as scheduled."
The project is part of a wider push by the Moon Jae-in administration to improve inter-Korean relations and set the stage for large-scale investment in the long term.
The groundbreaking ceremony is not an actual start of the construction. But it was seen as critical to forecast whether the United States is willing to support inter-Korean economic cooperation amid concerns over a possible violation of U.S.-led international sanctions on North Korea.
The U.S. backed the groundbreaking ceremony, Dec. 22, a gesture seen as a reconciliatory message in order to resume stalled talks with Pyongyang for a possible second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.
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In a Twitter message Tuesday, Trump expressed hope for his next meeting with Kim.
"Christmas Eve briefing with y team working on North Korea ― Progress being made," Trump said. "Looking forward tomy next summit with Chairman Kim!"
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at Panmun Station in Gaeseong, North Korea, according the Ministry of Unification.
A special train carrying nine cars will bring around 100 participants from Seoul. The train will leave Seoul around 6:45 a.m.
The invited guests include ranking officials from the two Koreas, China, Russia, Mongolia and the U.N.
Guests from the South will include Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee, ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Hae-chan and floor leaders of ruling and opposition parties.
The North's delegation will be led by Ri Son-gwon, the chairman of North Korea's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland. He will be joined by high-ranking North Korean officials including Kim Yun-hyok, the railway minister.
Armida Alisjahbana, executive secretary of the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) will join the event, along with top railway and road officials from Russia, China and Mongolia. The three countries could possibly be involved in wider projects to link railways across Asia.
Five South Korean civilians who were separated from North Korean families by the 1950-53 Korean War were also among the invitees, according to the unification ministry.
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