Russia, North and South Korea to Discuss Trans-Korean Railway Link at End of November

The prospects for joining the Russian Trans-Siberian Railway with the North and South Korean railway networks will be discussed at a trilateral meeting in Vladivostok at the end of November. According to Rosbalt's correspondent, this was announced on Tuesday at a press conference by Russian Railways Minister Gennady Fadeev. The minister said that the North Korean side had agreed in principle to take part in the talks during a Russian delegation's visit to North Korea between October 29 and November 2.

According to Fadeev, the meeting will look at Russian participation in the reconstruction of the Trans-Korean railway line on the condition that containers are then transported along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Participants in the meeting will also discuss the possibility of forming a consortium made up of Russia, North and South Korea, Japan, and China in order to attract investment (around USD 2.5 billion) for the construction of the railway line, as well as discussing possible construction projects. Fadeev said that the creation of a transport corridor from the Korean peninsula to Europe via Russia would take at least three years, and that the project would recoup construction costs in 8-10 years.