Ministers of North, South Koreas May Meet in Russia's Far East in September

South Korea's Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo and North Korea's Foreign Trade Minister Ri Ryong Nam may meet at the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia in September, media reported Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Yonhap news agency quoted a source in the South Korean government as saying that Seoul was willing to participate in the forum if Pyongyang was also willing.

"Russia invited Minister Hong and the North's minister in charge of economics to the Eastern Economic Forum that opens in Vladivostok earlier next month," the source said.

Russia has invited the ministers from South and North Koreas to discuss the trilateral railway project Rajin-Khasan, according to the agency. Under the project, soft coal will be transported to the North Korean district of Rajin from the Russian border city of Khasan on a reconnected 54-kilometer (33-mile) railway, and then shipped to South Korea.

The first Russian Eastern Economic Forum will be held September 3-5 in the city of Vladivostok as a platform for dialogue between international investors, the Russian government and countries of the Asia-Pacific Region.

Over 200 investment projects valued at over $7.6 billion will be presented at the forum.