North Korea came to an agreement with China over the construction of brand new rail and road connections on the same day it publicly announced the dismissal of Jang Sung Taek, a South Korean politician has alleged.
Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Ik Pyo told a seminar at the National Assembly yesterday that North Korea and China reached agreement on the 8th over the construction of a 380km-long high-speed rail link connecting Kaesong, Pyongyang and Sinuiju with Beijing. An eight-lane highway is also supposedly slated for development.
“North Korea’s recent opening to the outside and projects with China are not solely the will of Jang Sung Taek; rather, they are being decided by the high leadership and will continue irrespective of Jang’s position,” Hong asserted.
“After Jang Sung Taek’s arrest, NDC 1st Chairman Kim Jong Eun once again ordered that this issue be dealt with, and as a result there is an agreement relating to railway and highway projects,” he continued.
However, a Ministry of Unification spokesperson told reporters on the 12th, “Discussions are continuing but no agreement has been made. There were also reports in 2010 that such an agreement had been reached, but partners changed and negotiations began again.”
