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Republic of Korea eyeing return to Khasan-Rajin railway project

The Khasan-Rajin project is not covered by sanctions of the UN Security Council against North Korea

SEOUL, November 7. /TASS/. The Republic of Korea is interested in returning to the Khasan-Rajin railway project, Russia’s Far East Development Minister Alexander Galushka told TASS on Tuesday.

"We heard about interest in these projects from South Korea. It was mentioned during talks that they would like to return to these projects," the minister said.

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"We have no contraindications; we will now work on the formula for close engagement of South Korean partners," Galushka said.

The Khasan-Rajin project is not covered by sanctions of the UN Security Council against the DPRK, the minister added.

The railway renovation project from Russia’s Khasan to Rajin port in North Korea was implemented in 2008-2014 by a joint venture between Russian Railways and North Korea. South Korea was intended to be the third party in the project but Seoul is still negotiating its participation in the project, the minister said earlier.

Throughput capacity of the Khasan-Rajin railway segment and the terminal is 5 mln tonnes of goods per year.

LNG

The Republic of Korea also shows high interest in supplies of Russian natural gas and is ready to return to the idea of building a gas pipeline from Russia across the territory of North Korea:

"This topic was highlighted in the course of talks - the interest of the Korean side in deliveries of Russian gas," Galushka said. This will be "interesting and beneficial for Russia," the Russian minister noted.

"Options were discussed on the basis of LNG supplies and the Korean side also said it is ready to return to the idea of the trilateral construction project from Russia to the Republic of Korea via the territory of the DPRK," the Russian minister said. Interested parties were close to reaching the agreement in 2011 and the degree of implementing this project was high, Galushka said.

"This is a trilateral project. It means desires of three parties should coincide for its implementation. This is beneficial for Russia and South Korean partners are interested: it means we should return to it," the minister said.

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