남북 철도 시험 운행- 워싱톤 포스트 신문 기사
Trains Cross Border Dividing North, South Korea
Thursday, May 17, 2007; 4:16 PM
MUSAN, South Korea, May 17 -- For the first time in 56 years, trains crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone Thursday, each carrying 150 people from North and South and new hopes of peace and unification.
With jubilation and pride, all three major South Korean television networks broadcast live coverage of the elaborately staged test-run by two five-car trains. Reporters issued minute-by-minute updates and analysis throughout the day.
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Train Crosses Korean Divide The first train crossing of the heavily-fortified demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea since early in the 1950-53 Korean War symbolizes a step toward reconciliation, but also loss and frustration for many Koreans on May 17, 2007. VIDEO | North and South Korea sent trains lumbering through their heavily armed border for the first time in more than half a century Thursday.
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On a western track, where 17 miles have been restored, a train took off from the South's town of Munsan in full celebration with fireworks, bands, balloons and hundreds of citizens waiving the white-and-blue banner known as the "peninsula flag," which is often used in joint sporting events to represent a united Korea. The train crossed the border into North Korea and proceeded to Gaesong.
On a 16-mile eastern track, the train left from the North's Diamond Mountain resort and traveled to the South's Jejin town. Each train carried 100 representatives from the South and 50 from the North.
"This is not just a test-run. . . . It reconnects our nation's severed bloodline. The heart of Korean peninsula is beating again," said Lee Jae Jung, South Korea's unification minister, at the ceremony at Munsan station before the train pulled away.
His North Korean counterpart Kwon Ho Ung replied, "The tragedy of our land's disconnection and national separation was not by us, but enforced by foreign powers," referring to the United States. "Our countrymen will be a bigger one united . . . and should not be derailed from the track or hesitate."
South Korea has long sought to conduct the rail test, claiming it will be an impetus to push open doors into the isolated communist country. The $600 million project was paid for by the South Koreans and includes new train stations in the North. Since the project began in 2000, 73,000 North and South Korean workers have laid tracks while special military teams de-mined the two corridors across the world's most heavily fortified border.
Construction of the tracks was finished in 2003 but the two Koreas could not agree to the test-run until this month, due to unspecified military objections from the north and generally souring relationships among neighboring countries over the North's nuclear weapons program.
North Korea last month finally agreed to the test run, but only after Seoul pledged to give raw materials to make shoes, clothes, and soap in the impoverished North. In return, Pyongyang gave rights to for southern companies to explore for mineral resources in the north.
South Korea hopes to utilize the new tracks to offer regular service to promote inter-Korean exchange. Thousands of South Koreans cross borders by road to the Kaesong Industrial complex and to the Diamond Mountain resort every day.
In the longer term, South Korea has grand plans for the railroad, which in theory could connect straight through into China and Russia, link to the Trans-Siberian railway and carry cargo all the way to Europe.
The test-run underlined South Korea's stance of offering incentives to the north as six-country negotiations proceed toward a goal of ending North Korea's nuclear programs. After years of frustrating and prolonged negotiations, the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, China, and Russia reached an agreement on Feb. 13 to halt Pyongyang's nuclear facilities.
In return, Washington ended a banking investigation that froze about $25 million of North Korean funds allegedly obtained through money laundering and counterfeiting. All parties involved have been restraining impatience waiting for North Korea to withdraw the money and invite international nuclear inspectors, the first step agreed to denuclearization which is more than a month overdue.
South Korea contends that economic favors through inter-Korean links would help implement the Feb. 13 agreement and the six-party talks. "We feel this test-run would provide momentum and resolve the overall situation," South Korean Minister Lee told reporters Wednesday.
But some analysts say the South Korean government's hasty move will instead reduce willingness by the North to cooperate. "We're going too fast. If you shower them with rice and raw materials in aid, they would have no reason to comply with the international community in time. We're just buying them negotiating leverage," said Jin-Young Chung, professor of international studies at Kyung Hee University.