MOSCOW, December 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Transportation Minister said Monday that his country was willing to restore and operate the Khasan-Tumenjiang-Rajin cross-border rail track with North Korea on a shared-cost basis.
Igor Levitin, who is also co-chair of the intergovernmental commission for economic, scientific and technological cooperation, discussed the possibility of jointly restoring the 55-km track at a meeting with North Korean Ambassador Pak Ui Chun. Transportation-related issues dominated the agenda.
"The reconstruction by Russian engineers of this railroad section will be a practical step toward implementing agreements reached earlier between the heads of state of Russia, the Republic of Korea and the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] while also demonstrating Russia's support and willingness to continue participating in the project," Levitin said.
The minister also pointed out the feasibility of jointly using the port of Rajin, where a large oil refining facility is based.
Earlier this year, Russian and North Korean officials began negotiating the possibility of the track's extension to Rajin so that Russian crude could be taken there by rail for subsequent refining.
