Koreas agree to modernise, connect railways and roads across borders

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon (R) shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart Ri Son Gwon (L) during their meeting at the southern side of the border truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas on October 15, 2018. (Photo by - / various sources / AFP) / South Korea)


South and North Korea on Monday agreed to hold a groundbreaking ceremony to modernise and eventually connect their railways and roads across their borders in late November or early December.

They also agreed to hold Red Cross talks in November to discuss issues related to families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War and arrange a general-level military meeting “as soon as possible”, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The agreements were reached during high-level talks at the truce village of Panmunjom between South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and his North Korean counterpart, Ri Son-gwon.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has proposed to Northeast Asian countries and the US to jointly set up a so-called “East Asian Railroad Community” to connect railways across the region via inter-Korean railroad links.