Researchers of two Koreas agree on need for additional, detailed rail surveys
Arirang News
2018-12-18
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Seoul and Pyeongyang wrapped up their joint inspections of railways in North Korea.
From this point on, researchers from both sides will be exchanging data on the trains and tracks... as they move ahead with advanced discussions on how to ultimately connect and upgrade the railways.
Oh Jung-hee outlines the next phase in this cross border project.
South and North Korea have wrapped up their on-site inspections of North Korea's eastern and western railways.
But that's only a prelude to a series of surveys to take place in the future... to plan out specifically how to (quote) "link and upgrade" the railways of both Koreas.
According to Seoul's unification ministry on Tuesday, officials and experts from Seoul and Pyeongyang moved along almost 800 kilometers of the North's eastern Donghae rail line over the course of 8 days -- that's 100 kilometers per day.
As their train cars moved along the tracks, the South Korean inspectors calculated... that North Korea's trains can go about twenty to sixty kilometers an hour depending on the condition of the tracks.
That's quite slow, but there are reasons for it.
Tracks where trains don't run regularly have not been managed properly and have therefore deteriorated,... while some sections can't allow high speeds because of inclines, curves, tunnels and bridges.
South Korea believes the inspections held this month will help both sides understand what condition the North's railways are in... and help them devise plans to ultimately link the tracks to the South and modernize them.
But to do that, a few questions need to be answered.
Those are -- whether North Korea's tracks can be renovated or whether new ones will have to be laid... and how to standardize the tracks between South and North Korea... so that freight and passengers can be moved without changing trains.
Also on the agenda is sharing technology.
Seoul says South and North Korean inspectors will exchange data on each side's rail networks -- things like schedules and regulations.
Based on those, it's expected that they'll talk about holding more surveys... and not start actual construction just yet.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
From this point on, researchers from both sides will be exchanging data on the trains and tracks... as they move ahead with advanced discussions on how to ultimately connect and upgrade the railways.
Oh Jung-hee outlines the next phase in this cross border project.
South and North Korea have wrapped up their on-site inspections of North Korea's eastern and western railways.
But that's only a prelude to a series of surveys to take place in the future... to plan out specifically how to (quote) "link and upgrade" the railways of both Koreas.
According to Seoul's unification ministry on Tuesday, officials and experts from Seoul and Pyeongyang moved along almost 800 kilometers of the North's eastern Donghae rail line over the course of 8 days -- that's 100 kilometers per day.
As their train cars moved along the tracks, the South Korean inspectors calculated... that North Korea's trains can go about twenty to sixty kilometers an hour depending on the condition of the tracks.
That's quite slow, but there are reasons for it.
Tracks where trains don't run regularly have not been managed properly and have therefore deteriorated,... while some sections can't allow high speeds because of inclines, curves, tunnels and bridges.
South Korea believes the inspections held this month will help both sides understand what condition the North's railways are in... and help them devise plans to ultimately link the tracks to the South and modernize them.
But to do that, a few questions need to be answered.
Those are -- whether North Korea's tracks can be renovated or whether new ones will have to be laid... and how to standardize the tracks between South and North Korea... so that freight and passengers can be moved without changing trains.
Also on the agenda is sharing technology.
Seoul says South and North Korean inspectors will exchange data on each side's rail networks -- things like schedules and regulations.
Based on those, it's expected that they'll talk about holding more surveys... and not start actual construction just yet.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
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