(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-16 17:11

PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has reached an agreement with Russia on reconstruction of the Khasan-Rajin railway, the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported Sunday.

A delegation from the Russian Railways Company have held talks with the ministers of the DPRK Railway and Commerce Ministries as well as officials from other departments on renovating the 55-km Khasan-Rajin railway and the Rajin port, the report said.

The two sides reached agreement to start the renovation work at an early date, the report said.

The Khasan-Rajin railway links Russia's Khasan border settlement to the DPRK's Rajin port. Due to different rail gauges of the two countries, the reconstruction requires the laying of new railway tracks, rebuilding of tunnels and bridges, and upgrading of the automatic and signal systems.

The handling capacity of the Rajin port, a major harbor in the northeastern part of the DPRK, will also be expanded after the reconstruction.

The Russian delegation arrived here Tuesday. The DPRK and Russia have had several talks on the issue since 2004.