South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myuong-gyon and North Korea's Chairman of Committee for Peaceful reunification Ri Son Gwon announced on Oct. 15 that their countries agreed to reconnect major rail and road links along borders.
The re-establishment of the rail and road links will be marked by a momentous ceremony set to happen between late November and early December.
In a joint statement first reported by Reuters, the officials said the agreement was reached after cordial discussions on how to develop and elevate the renewed relationships between the two Koreas in a higher and more sincere level.
The reconnection of the cross-border roads was included in the agreement reached between South Korean president Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two leaders had first met in a historic event at the border village last April.
Aside from the re-establishment of cross-border connections Cho and Ri finalized plans on establishing a more open military communication to deter the threat of another war. The two leaders also discussed plans of jointly hosting the 2032 Summer Olympics and to continue efforts of reuniting families that were separated during the Korean War which lasted from 1950 to 1953.
The two Koreas have also started talks on reforestation projects, and health and disease prevention initiatives.
The continued thawing of relations between North and South Korea takes place amid sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. The two Koreas' aim for a higher level of relations is also happening amid growing concerns in the United States that Seoul is becoming highly blinded by Pyongyang's neglect of its commitment to denuclearization.
It would be recalled that Moon had been insistent in the past that the relations between North and South would not improve without Pyongyang halting its nuclear program entirely, Reuters noted. This stance had seemingly been lost now from the South Korean leader.
Commenting on the discussions between Cho and Ri, Lim Eul-Chul, an expert on the North Korean economy, said the timeline of ceremonies marking the renewed relations between North and South Korea may indicate how Pyongyang sincerely wanted to denuclearize.
At the same time, it may also reflect that North wanted to sanctions lifted immediately, Lim told The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov told the press that he will be meeting with US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun on Oct. 16. The deputy said the meeting involved full round consultations on how both countries could improve the situation on the Korean Peninsula with regard to North Korea's nuclear programs.
