Seoul, Pyongyang to Hold Ceremony to Mark Re-linking of Inter-Korean Railways

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Seoul, Pyongyang to Hold Ceremony to Mark Re-linking of Inter-Korean Railways

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Seoul and Pyongyang agreed Monday to hold a symbolic ceremony in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two countries to mark the re-linking of inter-Korean railways on June 14, South Korean national news agency Yonhap News reported.

On the last day of three-day talks held in Kaesong, a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) city near the inter-Korean border, negotiators from Seoul and Pyongyang reached the agreement to hold such an event commemorating third anniversary ofthe 2000 inter-Korean summit between the then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il, Yonhap reported quoting the South Korean Ministry of Unification.

The two countries planned to place two 25-meter rail tracks to link the Gyeongui (Seoul-Sinuiju) railway in the western sector ofthe DMZ and the Donghae line in the eastern sector of the 4-kilometer-wide DMZ.

South Korea has completed most of the 12-kilometer section of the Gyeongui line, which links Seoul to the DPRK's northwestern city of Sinuiju via Pyongyang, on its side. While, the DPRK has finished 2.2 kilometers of a 15.3 kilometers section on its side of the line.

For the Donghae line, which links eastern coastal cities acrossthe border, the two sides have completed the construction of the railroad bed and are set to lay rail tracks to reconnect the initial 27.5-km line.

Seoul hopes to relink the Gyeongui line in the first half of this year and the Donghae line in the second half.

Monday's agreement also called for the two sides to conduct a site survey next month to come up with a plan to design signals, communications and power systems for the operations of trains in the inter-Korean railways.

In a move that heralded an improvement in reconciliatory efforts between Seoul and Pyongyang, the two sides agreed last August to relink the two railways and adjacent roads.

Work to remove land mines in the DMZ, survey the land and construct transportation corridors for the railways line and parallel roads has already been completed.

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