'Inter-Korean railway also crucial for European nations'

Linking the railways of South and North Korea is crucial for European countries too, the chairman of an international railway association said Thursday. 

"The inter-Korean railways must be linked, even in the perspective of European countries," Tadeusz Szozda, chairman of the Organisation for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD), said during the 34th Conference of the General Directors of the OSJD hosted by KORAIL.

"It takes about 45 days when Korean firms ship products to European countries," Szozda said during a press conference at Lotte Hotel in Seoul. "If you use railways, the products will get there in 15 days. This is a great issue for European countries where Korean products such as Samsung and LG are highly popular."

Szozda's remarks were made in the wake of North Korea's absence at the meeting. The OSJD is comprised of 29 full-member countries in the Eurasian region, including Hungary, Russia, Poland, China and the two Koreas. North Korea has been a full member of the OSJD for years, and South Korea was admitted in June last year on the North's approval.

By Nam Hyun-woo.

Full story at Korean Times.