SEOUL, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said Friday that a joint study with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on railways was not subject to international sanctions toward Pyongyang.
Lee Eugene, deputy spokesperson of the unification ministry, told a press briefing that the joint inspection by South Korea and the DPRK on railways was not subject to international sanctions, saying that Seoul has been consulting with Washington and Pyongyang on the joint field study.
Lee said that if the South Korean side completes preparation for additional study, it will consult with the DPRK side for schedules.
South Korea and the DPRK originally planned to test run a train on Aug. 22 from Seoul to the DPRK's northeastern city of Sinuiju across the military demarcation line (MDL), which divides the two sides, before coming back on Aug. 27, according to local media.
The plan was rejected by UN Command, which manages the demilitarized zone (DMZ), a buffer zone between the two Koreas, demanding detailed explanations for the South Korean side's DPRK visit.
Vice Unification Minister Chung Hae-sung recently met with Vincent Brooks, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander and the head of the UN Command, to exchange opinions about inter-Korean relations including the joint field study, according to the Seoul ministry's deputy spokesperson.
The joint study was part of efforts to modernize the DPRK railways and eventually connect it to South Korean ones as agreed upon during the April 27 summit between the leaders of the two Koreas.
