Russia, N. Korea conduct test run of cross-border railway

KHASAN, Russian Far East, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea and Russia held a test run of their renovated cross-border railway Thursday, in a a move that could help make a key North Korean port a regional transportation hub.
The track once again links Russia's Far Eastern border town of Khasan to North Korea's northeastern port city of Rajin after three years of renovation, mostly financed by Russia.



Hundreds of North Korean and Russian officials attended the ceremony in a North Korean border railway station in what could be the beginning of a long-held vision to make North Korea's Rajin port a regional hub for Europe-bound freight shipments.
"Rajin port will be a new center that will attract cargo from the Asia Pacific region," said Valery Reshetnikov, senior vice president of Russian Railways that was involved in the railway renovation.
Russia eventually hopes to link the 54-kilometer-long railway line with the Trans-Siberian Railway to transport Asian cargo to Europe, an option that could significantly reduce shipping time and costs.
As part of the project, Russia is scheduled to complete the building of a container terminal at the Rajin port by next year.



North Korea's Vice Railways Minister Ju Jae-dok said at the ceremony that the freight transport will contribute to economic exchange not only between North Korea and Russia but also between Northeast Asia and Europe, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
The North designated Rason, which includes the Rajin port, as a special economic zone in 1991 and has since striven to develop it into a regional logistics hub close to both China and Russia.