Ministers of Seoul, Pyeongyang stress connecting transport network would bring prosperity
Arirang News
2018-12-26
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南김현미 "경제적 편익 남북 함께 공유" 北김윤혁 "전세계 공동번영 추동하는 새로운 동력"
As agreed at the inter-Korean summits this year, Seoul and Pyeongyang held a ground-breaking ceremony for their joint railway and road projects today.
High ranking government figures not just from the two sides but China, Russia, and Mongolia... and even a top UN official dealing with economic cooperation were there to mark the occasion.
Oh Jung-hee starts us off with this symbolic event.
Seoul's transport minister... and Pyeongyang's vice railway minister stand shoulder-to-shoulder,... writing messages of hope and commemoration on a railway tie -- "Peace and Prosperity together, connecting railways and roads together."
This... was the scene Wednesday at the North's Panmun Station... at the two Koreas' groundbreaking ceremony for linking and modernizing their railways and roads.
There were 100 participants from each side, mainly comprising key officials in charge of transport and inter-Korean affairs.
From the South, the top officials were Seoul's transport and unification ministers -- Kim Hyun-mee and Cho Myoung-gyon -- and from North Korea, Ri Son-gwon, the head of Pyeongyang's reunification committee.
"The arteries connecting South and North will become arteries for co-prosperity in Northeast Asia and will expand our economic reach to the continent. The trans-Eurasian railway and the Asian Highway will reduce the time and costs spent on logistics, and thereby raise the competitiveness of our companies. The economic benefits will be enjoyed by both Koreas."
"Today's groundbreaking ceremony will be a historic event that creates new engine for not only balanced economic development on the Korean Peninsula but also for the co-prosperity of Eurasia and the whole world."
Also at the ceremony was the Executive Secretary of the UN's Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific... as well as some senior railway and road officials from Russia, China and Mongolia.
They expressed determination to cooperate in forming a Eurasian rail network.
"There are trains running from Pyeongyang to Beijing. If the tracks are connected between Seoul and Pyeongyang, then it will be possible to go to Beijing from Seoul by train. I hope that day comes soon."
The officials from Seoul and Pyeongyang took part in a couple of commemorative events, like "track-linking," leaving their signatures on a railway tie... and unveiling a road sign pointing towards the South and North Korean capitals.
But these symbolic acts do not mean that the two Koreas will start construction right away.
Things will have to go in tandem with North Korea's denuclearization... and they will have to get sanctions waivers from the UN Security Council for whatever work they do in the future.
South Korea says the actual construction work can begin... once conditions are in place internationally.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
As agreed at the inter-Korean summits this year, Seoul and Pyeongyang held a ground-breaking ceremony for their joint railway and road projects today.
High ranking government figures not just from the two sides but China, Russia, and Mongolia... and even a top UN official dealing with economic cooperation were there to mark the occasion.
Oh Jung-hee starts us off with this symbolic event.
Seoul's transport minister... and Pyeongyang's vice railway minister stand shoulder-to-shoulder,... writing messages of hope and commemoration on a railway tie -- "Peace and Prosperity together, connecting railways and roads together."
This... was the scene Wednesday at the North's Panmun Station... at the two Koreas' groundbreaking ceremony for linking and modernizing their railways and roads.
There were 100 participants from each side, mainly comprising key officials in charge of transport and inter-Korean affairs.
From the South, the top officials were Seoul's transport and unification ministers -- Kim Hyun-mee and Cho Myoung-gyon -- and from North Korea, Ri Son-gwon, the head of Pyeongyang's reunification committee.
"The arteries connecting South and North will become arteries for co-prosperity in Northeast Asia and will expand our economic reach to the continent. The trans-Eurasian railway and the Asian Highway will reduce the time and costs spent on logistics, and thereby raise the competitiveness of our companies. The economic benefits will be enjoyed by both Koreas."
"Today's groundbreaking ceremony will be a historic event that creates new engine for not only balanced economic development on the Korean Peninsula but also for the co-prosperity of Eurasia and the whole world."
Also at the ceremony was the Executive Secretary of the UN's Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific... as well as some senior railway and road officials from Russia, China and Mongolia.
They expressed determination to cooperate in forming a Eurasian rail network.
"There are trains running from Pyeongyang to Beijing. If the tracks are connected between Seoul and Pyeongyang, then it will be possible to go to Beijing from Seoul by train. I hope that day comes soon."
The officials from Seoul and Pyeongyang took part in a couple of commemorative events, like "track-linking," leaving their signatures on a railway tie... and unveiling a road sign pointing towards the South and North Korean capitals.
But these symbolic acts do not mean that the two Koreas will start construction right away.
Things will have to go in tandem with North Korea's denuclearization... and they will have to get sanctions waivers from the UN Security Council for whatever work they do in the future.
South Korea says the actual construction work can begin... once conditions are in place internationally.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
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