S. Korea waives study on inter-Korean railway to speed up construction

정부, 동해북부선 강릉~제진 철도건설사업 추진하기로 결정The project to connect the railways of the two Koreas is picking up speed.South Korea's Ministry of Unification held a meeting Thursday with a civilian-government committee on inter-Korean exchanges, and decided to designate the plan an inter-Korean cooperative project.That means there won't have to be a feasibility study, so it can move ahead more quickly.Our Hong Yoo reports.South Korea decided Thursday to recognize the rail construction project along the east coast as an inter-Korean exchange and cooperation project.This means the usual feasibility study is waived, which could save up to a year and a half.The railway will run from the South Korean city of Gangneung to Jejin, which is near the North Korean border.The ultimate vision is to connect this Donghae Northern Line to a railway in the North.Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul said in the meeting that it's important to keep up the momentum for cross-border exchanges."This is a time when we need to maintain the momentum for inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation... and to prepare for an opportunity to improve inter-Korean relations. This railway connection project in particular has been agreed upon many times since the year 2000 in the Cabinet and in working-level talks. It's something we should seek to make happen quickly."President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had struck an agreement two years ago to reconnect and modernize inter-Korean railways, but progress has stalled along with the nuclear talks between the North and the U.S.The Unification Minister added that the railway is expected to bring big economic benefits to the nearby region and contribute to South Korea's balanced economic growth in line with the Moon administration's new economic plan for the Korean Peninsula.The Unification Ministry hopes that South and North Korea can eventually join up to the Trans-Siberian Railway and improve the flow of goods across the continent to Europe.Hong Yoo, Arirang News.