Two Koreas to kick-start on-ground survey of North Korean railways this week

After the UN Security Council approved a limited sanctions waiver for the two Koreas' joint railway inspections,... Washington got on board with an exemption of its own... on unilateral sanctions against Pyeongyang.With the waivers in place,... the on-site survey for the railyway project could kick off... as early as this week.Oh Jung-hee explains further. The two Koreas' railway connection plan -- which has been completely suspended since August -- looks to gain speed... with a couple of exemptions made to the international sanctions over the weekend.According to several government sources on Sunday,... the U.S. decided to allow an exemption to its unilateral sanctions against North Korea for the inter-Korean rail inspections... after a bilateral discussion with Seoul.This comes after the UN Security Council approved a limited sanctions waiver on its North Korea sanctions last Friday.With a breakthrough to the months-long deadlock,... the two Koreas are currently discussing the schedule for a joint rail survey in North Korea... and Seoul expects it to kick-start this week."We are currently discussing the matter with the North. We are getting ready so that the joint inspections can begin this week."For the inspections, a South Korean train and research team will be moving up North.They will go test the western Gyeongui Line first... and then the eastern Donghae Line.The overall process is expected to take about 20 days. As the railway project has been much delayed than initially planned, Seoul says it will work to ensure speedy progress.And it's widely seen that Seoul and Pyeongyang will be able to hold a ground-breaking ceremony for linking and modernizing their rail and road networks within this year AS PLANNED once the joint inspections are over -- possibly in mid-December.Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.