Koreas Reach Train Exchange Agreement

Background on test run plans and agreement-

The two Koreas held the 12th South-North working level meeting for linking inter-Korean roads and railways on May 13, and agreed to operate a five-carriage train each on Gyeongeui and Donghae Lines for a round trip from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on May 25.

In the case of the Gyeongeui Line, the South Korean train will start from Munsan Station, while on the Donghae Line the North Korean train will start from Geumgang Mountain Station. About 100 people will board on each train, including related railway personnel and reporters from North and South Korea.

During the working level meeting for linking inter-Korean railways and roads, South Korea promised to provide 60 products and 10 different materials needed for station construction of Gyeongeui and Donghae Lines as well as waterway construction at Gaesong Station. The South Korean Ministry of Unification stated that the total amount will be approximately four billion won.

South Korea also agreed to provide vehicles and machinery technology to the North until it finishes the construction linking the railways.

The speculation is that the North agreed to the test runs in large part due to South Korean government’s decisions to provide the free materials.

There were also views that North Korea initially agreed upon the test runs in order to induce South Korea to provide more raw materials for light industries that are currently being discussed in the South-North economic cooperation committee, as well as secure support in constructing the North Korean customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office in the Donghae line roads.

Should the test run be successful, North Korea may use this as a card during the upcoming railroad opening negotiations to pressure the South.

Military guarantee on the test runs-

The government views that an agreement will likely be made on military guarantee issues during the fourth round of Inter-Korean General-level Military Talks to be held on May 16 to 18 at Panmunjeom.

Their reasoning lies in the fact that during this working level meeting of May 13, North Korea agreed upon extremely detailed test run schedules and procedures.

A source from the Ministry of Unification said, “This agreement is in large contrast with the working level meeting for railway-road connections in July of last year, where the test runs and opening ceremony were to be held on October,” and added that “at the time we were not able to delve into the details.”

Explanations are held that the reason behind the agreement on detailed plans regarding test run times, trains, the number of people to board the train was because North Korean military authorities had internal arrangements on military security for the event.

However, during this working level meeting no North Korean official stated clearly that “the military will provide safety guarantees.”

A government official said, “the overall tone of the meeting seemed to imply that North Korea will provide military security, but we cannot know for sure.”

In addition, during the upcoming general-level meeting, North Korea will likely reintroduce the Northern Limit Line (NLL) issue, following similar talks in March.

A South Korean military official said on May 14, “It has been realized that in the general-level meeting, North Korea has prioritized the issue of NLL redefinition over military protection for the train test runs,” and predicted, “The NLL redefinition issue may pose a problem to the military protection issue.”

On Kim Dae-jung’s railway visit to the North-

The South Korean government adamantly denied charges that the current test runs were related to former president Kim Dae-jung’s railway visit to the North.

It stated that even if the North Korean military authorities provides security for the upcoming test runs, the possibility of Kim Dae-jung’s train visit to North Korea should be discussed separately from the security guarantee issues.

Internal conflict may also ensue in the South if North Korea may request for excessive support by allowing Kim Dae-jung’s train visit to the North.

The South Korean government hence is attempting to separate Kim’s visit to North Korea from the test runs and opening.

Some speculated, however, that when President Roh Moo-hyun visited Mongolia on May 9, he expressed his favorable intentions toward Kim Dae-jung’s northern visit and announced his aim to provide unconditional political and material support to the North, giving rise to the analysis that along with test run agreement the government also made promises contingent upon the successful train visit of Kim to the North.

Minister of Unification Lee Jong-seok visited the Gaesong Industrial Complex on the same day and received the answer of North Korea’s Ju Dong Chan, director of the General Bureau for Central Guidance to the Development of the Special Zone, that “test runs are possible,” lending support to the speculations.

But the government denied allegations of links with President Roh’s statement, saying, “We have already started discussions on test runs with the North since April.”

Even if train agreements are made for Kim Dae-jung’s visit to the North for a working level meeting which starts on May 16, it is unclear whether he can take a train to Pyongyang. South Korean technicians have made safety tests on track up to Gaesong, but no measures have been taken for the Gaesong-Pyongyang track.

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com