RZD chief hopes for "progress" in DPRK freight transit project

ODESSA, September 29 (Itar-Tass) - President of the Russian Railways
Company (RZD) Vladimir Yakunin hopes for "progress" in a project for the
transit of goods from South Korea across the territory of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the Trans-Siberian Mainline Railway
(TransSib).
"The latest visit to Russia by the Leader of the DPRK and the talks
with the President of our country on a pipeline to carry hydrocarbon fuel
across the DPRK territory to South Korea makes us more optimistic because
if the accord (on pipeline) was reached at such a level, there may be
progress (in talks) on the railway project, too," Yakunin said in response
to a question from an Itar-Tass correspondent within the scope of the
current session of the Coordinating Council on Trans-Siberian
Transportation here.
The RZD chief said the company "has been maintaining and continues to
maintain highly well-wishing relationships with representatives of North
and South Korea". When speaking of the project for a link-up of the
Trans-Korean Railway (TKR) from the South Korean port of Pusan across the
DPRK to Russia, Yakunin stated with regret that the project "is
undoubtedly highly politicized, just as our entire life, particularly in
that part of the world." He is confident that it is precisely this factor
that curbs the implementation of the project.
Meanwhile the RZD chief recalled that the first run of a demonstration
train along the restored section of the TKR between the North Korean port
of Rajin to the Russian station Khasan is slated for October this year.
The reconstruction of the TKR section is expected to enable freight
trains to run at high speed from Rajin to Khasan with a subsequent outlet
to TransSib. In prospect, when railway traffic will be established along
the entire TKR, an opportunity will emerge to reorient the transportation
of a considerable segment of freight, which is currently shipped by sea
from South Korea to Europe, to the railway. Experts point out that the
southern sea route from Asia to Western Europe is three times as long as
railway transit across Russia.