South and North Korea conferred that track construction of railroad and roadbed construction of highway would be completed by the end of 2003 according to the process of the construction in the 6th meeting of South and North Korea Economy Cooperation Committee held in Aug. 2003.

Besides, Authorities of South and North Korea visited the construction section of the Donghae line on 2 Dec. and the Gyeongui line on 8 Dec. 2003 according to the agreement decided in the 7th South and North Korea Railroad & Highway Working-level Talks held at the end of Nov. 2003.

The construction could be progressed on the base of mutual trust by checking construction method and the process.
The railroad and highway of the Gyeongui line on South Korea was completed on 31 Dec. 2002 and 31 Oct. 2003 respectively. Environment valuation and design of railroad and highway of the Donghae line were completed in advance and roadbed, track, and pavement construction have been regularized.

The railroad of the Gyeongui line on North Korea was completed to the spot around 3.5km from the military demarcation line and the railroad of the Donghae line was completed to the spot around 4.7km from the military demarcation line. Land for a station building has been searched. Roadbed and structure construction, such as a bridge, were completed and pavement construction was planning to begin in earnest in 2004.

Government made efforts to arrange systemetic provision in order to run trains and vehicles in a safe and regular way after completion of the connection in connection with steady progress of the connection construction.

The basic agreements regarding traveling of vehicles were concluded and exchanged with signing on 4 Jan. 2003. South Korea has conferred with North Korea about the basic agreements regarding traveling of trains and the decision of the matter was left in the 8th South-North Korea Railroad & Highway Connection Working-level Talks held in Dec. 2003.

Also, South and North Korea has conferred about opening of each vehicle control office in the closest place from the military demarcation line in order to operate passage service for both men and goods in a safe and favorable way through provisional highway of the Gyeongui and Donghae line in the 8th South-North Korea Railroad & Highway Connection Working-level Talks.

A provisional agreement for military safety about passage of a temporary highway in the east & west sea territory was signed and became effective by South and North Korea. As a result, various passages, such as Mt. Geumgang sightseeing by land, transportation of materials and equipments, personnel for Pyeongyang gymnasium event, was conducted through a temporary l highway.

Government organized a support team for CIQ of the Gyeongui line, which was formed by working-level personnel from the Ministry of Justice, Health and Welfare, and the Office of Customs Administration as customs clearance, inspection, and quarantine (CIQ) was requisite to carried out in case of passage of human and materials through a temporary railroad/highway.

The facility for CIQ was established around unification observatory as well as on the road of the Gyeongui line in order to operate CIQ for the passage through the Donghae line temporarily before opening of main highway.

Moreover, CIQ was opened for favorable passage of men and materials by land in Nov. 2003 and the preparation of government for passage by land has been progressed without a failure.

As there has been no passage in the section connected of railroad/highway of the Gyeongui or Donghae line for last 50 years, government started Environment & Ecology Protection Joint Research Team, which is composed of specialists in environment and ecology field, in order to minimize environmental damage. The research team has examined about 6 areas, such as topography, geological features, and animals & plants, etc., and formulated a plan to reduce ecological damage.

Transportation expenses of materials, which used to be an obstacle of trade between South and North Korea, are expected to cut down if the connection is completed. Furthermore, it is sure that the Korean Peninsula will have risen as a new transportation center by connecting with TSR and TCR. Transportation linked with TSR, TCR, TMR, TMGR might become possible if the connection of a railroad is completed.

Also, the Gyeongui line is expected to promote development of Gaeseong industrial complex and contribute to strengthening of hub function of Incheon international airport. The Donghae line is expected to contribute to activating of Mt. Geumgang sightseeing and promoting of sightseeing linked with Mt. Seolak.

Meanwhile, a grand economy bloc like EU might be formed by combining abundant natural resources from Russia, China, Mongolia, and North Korea with cheap labors from South Korea and Japan.