A freight rail corridor linking Russia with China and North Korea may enter service in 2009, after an agreement was signed with the major parties.
First Cargo Company, Yanbian Haihua Imports & Exports Trade and RZD subsidiary have signed an agreement for the construction of railway. It is expected that North Korea will join later this year.
Once North Korea is on board, China will rebuild a 120km railway section to increase freight transport capacity to 500–700 wagons per day.
The rail line starting from Khasan in Russia will pass through Tumangang on the North Korean border before reaching Tumen in China. An estimated 50–60 wagons will operate on this stretch.
An RZD representative said that China has already delivered fuel, one locomotive and sets of wheels of varying sizes so that the Russian wagons can operate on the narrow-gauge lines in North Korea.
