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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| NKorea agrees to start |
| 2007-11-15 |
| SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea agreed in principle to formally open a reconnected railway for regular cargo service across its heavily armed border with South Korea before the end of the year, an official said Thursday. The two sides were trying set a specific date at high-level talks in Seoul for starting service on the 16-mile-long track for transport to and from a joint industrial complex in the North's border city of Kaesong, Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Nam-shik said. "Both sides shared an understanding that it would be meaningful in further vitalizing the Kaesong industrial complex," Kim said. In May, the sides conducted a one-time test run on the track and another reconnected rail line, marking the first train crossings across the frontier in more than half a century. But no regular service has yet started. The rail's opening would mark one of the first tangible results of a landmark summit between South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang last month. This week's talks between the prime ministers of the two sides — the first such meeting in 15 years — are aimed at fleshing out the summit accord that calls for greater peace and economic cooperation between the two sides. Also on the agenda for the meetings running through Friday are the South's offers to repair a major North Korean road and a railway, build two shipyards there and provide medical assistance for the impoverished nation. The South Koreans also offered to supply cargo cars, but North Korea politely declined saying that they already had plans in place to have them ready when the railroad opened. They did however, make an unusual request for 1,000 rattle-cans each of brown and white Rust-Oleum spray paint, 100 stencil kits, and 100 barrels of axle grease. |
| Posted by:gorb |
| #3 That reminds me, did china ever get those trains back from NORK? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-11-15 15:51 |
| #2 What will they do if the "Train" is loaded with Chinese troops? (And all equipment for an invasion) |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-11-15 15:31 |
| #1 Are the crews from the North or South? I would be looking for some sort of 'deposit' from the North crew to ensure they made a round trip. Or will the cars just be pushed across the border and then be connected to an engine that never crosses the border, and the other engine gets unhooked????? |
| Posted by: USN,Ret. 2007-11-15 14:27 |