[Aju News DB]
SEOUL -- South and North Korean officials in charge of railway operations were added to the list of delegates who will participate in inter-Korean talks this week, sparking speculation that the two sides would discuss a project to connect cross-border railways and roads.
The South's unification ministry said Tuesday that the list of five South Korean delegates for high-level talks on Friday in the truce village of Panmunjom included Vice Transport Minister Kim Jeong-ryeol. His North Korean counterpart will be Vice Railroad Minister Kim Yun-hyok.
Initially, the inter-Korean meeting was to be held on May 16 on how to implement the so-called Panmunjom Declaration signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their summit last month. Pyongyang suspended it in protest at an annual joint exercise by U.S. and South Korean warplanes, but the two leaders agreed to revive it at their second summit last week.
The declaration contained an agreement to resurrect economic projects which have been stalled over high military tensions caused by North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear tests. As a first step, the two sides promised to connect and modernize cross-border railways and roads.
The two Koreas opened an inter-Korean industrial zone in Kaesong just north of the border in December 2004 as well as cross-border roads and rail tracks. Originally, the cross-border line was to be extended to Pyongyang and up to the northern border city of Sinuiju.
Reopening a cross-border route for traffic of men, vehicles and trains has been a favorite topic at previous inter-Korean talks. In preparation for unification of the divided peninsula, South Korea has gradually rebuilt and upgraded the southern section of disconnected railways and roads.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
