The South Korean military confirmed on October 15 that they have fired back in response to North Korea’s destruction of the rail tracks linking the two Koreas along the Gyeongui Line and the Donghae Line. This comes as South Korean soldiers patrolled the border on October 14, amidst rising tensions. According to reports from the Korean news agency, despite these railway tracks being located within North Korean territory, South Korea invested approximately 176.8 billion won—equivalent to about 130 million dollars at the time—into these infrastructure projects, which North Korea seemingly dismantled without hesitation.
The Gyeongui Line spans 499 kilometers, starting from Seoul Station and passing through Goyang and Paju, reaching into North Korea’s Kaesong, Pyongyang, and Sinuiju. Initially opened by Japan in 1906, the Donghae Line, also known as the Northern Donghae Line, is a 180-kilometer railway that connects Yangyang to Wonsan, opened in 1937.
The reconnection of the Gyeongui and Donghae lines, along with the roads extending along them, has long been viewed as symbols of reconciliation and cooperation between the two Koreas. However, following incidents such as the shooting of South Korean tourists at Mount Kumgang and North Korea’s nuclear tests and missile provocations, relations have soured, and these rail lines now hold only symbolic value.
The predicament is that, although these railway systems are located within North Korea, they were funded by South Korean taxpayers. The South Korean government announced that taxpayer loans supported the construction of the Gyeongui and Donghae railway and land connection projects, amounting to approximately 132.9 million dollars from 2002 to 2008. This funding was never repaid by North Korea.
In June 2020, North Korea destroyed a building funded by South Korea, leading the latter to file a lawsuit against the North in June of the previous year, seeking approximately 44.7 billion won in damages. This claim was still within the three-year statute of limitations for such compensation claims.
South Korea has explained that even if they were to win the lawsuit, it’s unlikely they would actually receive any payment from North Korea. The purpose of the legal action is to underscore that North Korea’s bombings clearly violate agreements between the two Koreas and infringe upon the property rights of the South Korean government and its citizens.
Analysts suggest that the railways, funded through the South Korean budget, represent a foundational trust between both countries, and the destruction of these assets could lead to further legal action by the government.
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