Moscow Discussing With Pyongyang Cargo, Coal Transshipment In Rajin Port - Ambassador

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th May, 2023) Russia expects transportation of its cargo, including coal, for transshipment in the North Korean port of Rajin to begin soon, Russian Ambassador to Pyongyang Alexander Matsegora said in an interview with Sputnik on Thursday.

"We expect that soon the transportation of Russian cargoes intended for transshipment in the port of Rajin, mainly coal, will begin. This matter is being actively discussed now," Matsegora said.

In November 2022, freight railway traffic between Russia and North Korea resumed in regular mode and the cargo is now transported through the only border railway crossing point, Khasan-Tumangang, the ambassador said.

Trade routes between Russia and North Korea were frozen by Pyongyang in early 2020 over concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Khasan-Rajin project was launched several years ago and was intended to deliver cargo by rail from Russia to the North Korean city of Rason with subsequent shipment by sea to ports in other countries.

The Khasan-Rajin railroad would bring cargo from Russia to the North Korean city of Rason to be then shipped to South Korea by sea. Initiated in 2000, work on the project did not begin until 2008 and was suspended in 2016 when South Korea quit over concerns about Pyongyang's nuclear tests. The need to revive the project has been stressed by Moscow, Pyongyang and Seoul on numerous occasions since then, but no further progress had been made on the project.