South Korea resumes construction of rail line towards North Korea
Seoul aims to rebuild the southern section of the Gyeongwon Line after a decade-long halt.
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South Korea is set to resume work on the southern section of a railway line towards North Korea. Vice Minister of Unification Kim Nam-jung announced this on Tuesday.
The route runs between Baengmagoji and Woljeong-ri in the Cheorwon border region. The Gyeongwon Line once continued into what is now North Korea, but has been severed since the division of the Korean peninsula.
According to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification, the project began in 2015 and was halted in May 2016 after rising tensions and a new North Korean nuclear test. Seoul now says it wants to restart work on the southern section.
According to the ministry, 37 billion South Korean won has so far been spent on the planned project. The ministry says the land acquisition and design have been completed; construction of the railway embankment is said to be 3 per cent complete.
The restart does not mean trains will soon run between North and South Korea. A cross-border connection would require agreements with Pyongyang, security arrangements and compliance with international sanctions. The South Korean government links the project to improved access to the demilitarised zone and economic development in border areas.
The move is part of a broader attempt by Seoul to make civilian contact and cooperation with North Korea possible again. It is not yet known whether Pyongyang will respond. The announcement is therefore primarily a South Korean policy decision, not a resumption of cross-border rail services.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- South Korea wants to resume work on the southern section of the Gyeongwon Line.
- The project has been on hold since 2016.
- North Korea has not expressed agreement to a cross-border rail connection in the sources consulted.
Left
Arguments A rail connection could support contact between civilians, border regions and economies, and make the DMZ less exclusively a military dividing line.
Values Peace, international cooperation and economic opportunities for disadvantaged border regions.
Consequences Supporters expect more contact and trust, with the possible objection that security and diplomatic conditions may not be sufficiently taken into account.
Centre
Arguments Construction can be prepared as long-term infrastructure, as long as every step remains dependent on security, sanctions rules and concrete agreements with North Korea.
Values Institutional caution, feasibility and verifiable reciprocity.
Consequences This could send a diplomatic signal without immediate concessions, but the project could be delayed again if political circumstances deteriorate.
Right
Arguments South Korea should not use public funds and strategic infrastructure for a symbolic project while North Korea remains an unreliable partner.
Values National security, financial discipline and deterrence.
Consequences A cautious approach limits risks and costs, but leaves potential economic development in border regions and diplomatic openings untapped.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The announcement, project status and amounts can be found in South Korean sources. The text presents the consequences for a cross-border connection as conditional and does not attribute any unconfirmed response to North Korea.
- confirmed South Korea announced on 10 November that it would resume work on the Baengmagoji–Woljeong-ri route. — SBS quotes the South Korean Vice Minister of Unification. source
- confirmed The project began in 2015 and was halted in May 2016. — South Korea’s Ministry of Unification. source
- confirmed 37 billion won has been spent and 3 per cent of the railway embankment has been built. — Project data from the ministry’s work plan. source
Editor's note
The announced restart and the project figures come from South Korean government information and reporting by SBS. There is no confirmation that North Korea agrees or that cross-border rail services will become possible in the short term.Sources
- Vice Unification Minister Says Gyeongwon Line Restoration Will Resume Soon — SBS News
- Ministry of Unification Work Plan for the Remainder of 2026 — Ministry of Unification, South Korea
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „zuid-korea noord-korea”
- AD — „zuid-korea noord-korea”
- de Volkskrant — „zuid-korea noord-korea”