S.Korea, DPRK conduct historic railway test runs
17/5/2007 16:17
South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted
historic cross-border railway test-runs today.
A total of 150 passengers, 100
from South Korea and 50 from the DPRK, took a South Korean train after attending
a joint ceremony for the test-run at the Munsan station in Munsan , South Korea
this morning.
At the ceremony held before the train departed, South Korean
Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung and his DPRK counterpart Kwon Ho-ung
delivered commemorative speeches. Both expressed their willing to promote
bilateral cooperation and national reconciliation.
The train pulled out of
the Munsan station at 11:30 local time (0230 GMT) towards DPRK's Kaesong
station. It crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) at 12:15 local time
(0315 GMT) and became the first train across the MDL since the inter-Korean
railway system was cut off in 1951.
Meanwhile, a DPRK train departed from
DPRK's Geumgang Station to South Korea's Jaejin Station along the Donghae Line
also at 11: 30 local time. A total of 150 South Korean and DPRK representatives
are aboard the train.
South Korea and DPRK agreed last month to conduct test
runs of cross-border railways today.
Xinhua
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