Koreas to begin joint railway modernisation, connection project

In a bid to follow-up on decisions made during the Pyongyang summit, South and North Korea have decided to begin joint projects to modernise and connect railways and roads between the two nations by late November or early December this year.

The decision to start working on expanding cross-border channels was taken at a meeting between South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and North Korea's Ri Son-gwon at the truce village of Panmunjom on Monday.

"The South and the North will hold a ground-breaking ceremony for connecting and modernising rail and road systems along the eastern and western regions either in late November or early December," the ministers said in a joint press statement issued after their meeting, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The statement also noted that a survey of the western railways will be initiated in late October, while inspections for railways along the eastern coast will be conducted in early November.

Both the sides also agreed to hold Red Cross talks in November to discuss issues related to family separations caused by the Korean War which took place between 1950-1953 in the Korean peninsula.

A general-level meeting to discuss the formation of a joint military committee and easing of military tensions between the two Koreas will also be arranged "as soon as possible", according to the talks that took place on Monday.

The decision to hold discussions regarding a bid to co-host the Summer Olympics in 2032 in late October at North Korea's Kaesong joint liaison office was another outcome of the meeting that took place in Panmunjom.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in had visited Pyongyang on September 18 to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Both the sides signed a joint statement to cease hostilities and work for peace in the peninsula.

The two sides also agreed to take "additional steps" to achieve the process of North Korean denuclearisation during the Pyongyang summit.