Delegations, headed by South Korean Vice Transport Minister Kim Jeong-ryeol and North Korean Vice Minister for Land and Environmental Protection Pak Ho-yong met on Thursday on the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjom and released a joint statement, agreeing to modernize roads between the countries in order to restore connections and boost economic growth.
"The South and the North reaffirmed their belief that the project on modernizing Donghae [Wonsan-Goseong] and Gyeongui [Kaesong-Pyongyang] lines is significantly important for achieving balanced development and co-prosperity," the joint statement, released by the South Korean Unification ministry, read.
The sides agreed to establish joint research teams in order to conduct a first-ever field survey this August.
Previously, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said his government would limit infrastructure cooperation with North Korea until the UN sanctions over the nuclear program are lifted, adding that Seoul will conduct a preliminary study "before the sanctions are removed."
