Koreas Agree To Re-Link Railroad

In the first concrete sign of progress between North and South Korea since their historic summit last month, ministers from the countries announced Monday an agreement to reconnect a railroad line that has been severed since the Korean War.

The railroad runs 318 miles from Seoul through the demilitarized zone to the port city of Sinuiju, near the Chinese border on North Korea’s west coast. But only a 12-1/2-mile section through the DMZ needs to be rebuilt for the railroad to function, connecting South Korea with North Korea and China, said Hong Song Kuk, director of economic and scientific affairs for the South Korean Ministry of Unification.