Russia to lease North Korean rail track for Europe-East Asia link

North Korea has agreed to rent a 52-kilometer section of track to Russian Railways as part of a plan to link East Asia to Europe via the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the Moscow Times reported Monday.

The lease period is for 49 years, according to an agreement signed last week in Pyongyang. Russian Railways will refurbish the line and build a container terminal at the North Korean port of Rajin, with construction expected to begin by the end of this year. There were also talks about extending the link to from Rajin to the Chinese border.

Russia is using the Rajin project as a first step to connect South Korea to Europe via the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the report said. 

Source: American Shipper