Significance and Challenges of NORTH KOREA’s Railway Development: Focusing on the Connection of Inter-Korean and Chinese-Russian Border Railways

Purpose: The main purpose of this article is to examine the significance and challenges of the main-railway and sub-road system of North Korea, which has received greater attention since the Panmumjom Declaration adopted on April 27, 2018, and to investigate the political, diplomatic and security implications of cooperation of the inter-Korean and Chinese-Russian border railways. Method: For better analysis, as a major research method, the existing academic papers related to North Korea including literature reviews considering the characteristics of research on North Korean railways, and data from the Ministry of Unification and main state-run research institutes. Researches on the inter-Korean railway and trans-continental railway connections have accumulated in academic circles, government agencies and research institutes from 2000 to this day. Results: Despite these various advantages, it is the most urgent task to resolve North Korea’s nuclear issue and lift economic sanctions against North Korea. After the breakdown of the 2019 North Korea-United States Summit in Hanoi at the end of February, the North Korea-U.S. relations reached a stalemate, and the international com-munity’s extensive sanctions have continued. The connection of inter-Korean railways and the opening of China-Russia border regions are major arteries of the North Korean economy and serve as the basis for industrialization, urbanization and modernization, but they can be made possible only via active multilateral economic support and cooperation from the international community. Conclusion: The connection of inter-Korean and China-Russia railways not only has economic ripple effects, but also is subjected to political, diplomatic and security factors with relevant countries. North Korea’s rail mod-ernization has its significance in that it helps to form the foundation for North Korea’s economic growth, escape isolation from the international community, ease tensions on the Korean peninsula, prevent border disputes be-tween China and Russia, promote economic development, lift U.S sanctions against North Korea, and expand the possibility of advancing into the Asia-Pacific and Eurasia regions. As the expansion of international cooperation and participation of the international community may lead to the opening of the closed North Korean society and the instability of the Kim Jong-un regime, questions still arise as to whether North Korea will select such interna-tional cooperation.