South Korea's Ministry of Unification said on August 5 that it would resume restoration of the Baengmagoji-Woljeong-ri section of the Gyeongwon Line near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a decade after work was suspended. Land acquisition and design were complete, while trackbed construction was 3 percent complete, the ministry said.

The announcement does not reopen a railway between the two countries. South Korea plans to resume construction in 2027 and complete its section in 2029, but any extension to Wonsan on North Korea's east coast would require separate cooperation from Pyongyang.

A route divided with the Korean Peninsula

The Gyeongwon Line historically ran from Seoul to Wonsan. The division of the Korean Peninsula left the route severed around the DMZ, the buffer zone separating the two countries' armed forces.

South Korea began restoring the disconnected section in August 2015 but halted construction in May 2016. The new decision revives work on South Korean territory rather than the wider inter-Korean railway cooperation discussed during earlier periods of engagement.

A DMZ Peace Train at a platform in Seoul Station
South Korea operated the DMZ Peace Train on the Gyeongwon Line between Seoul and the border region. (Jeon Han／Korea.net, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Seoul's project stops at its own border

South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young presented the restart during a government policy briefing. The work is intended to improve access to border-area tourism and economic activity while retaining infrastructure that could support a later connection to North Korea.

Any service to Wonsan would require new cooperation from Pyongyang and further construction beyond the project now announced. APPI News could not find a public North Korean statement specifically addressing the August 5 Gyeongwon Line plan as of August 29, 2026.

North Korea has dismantled other cross-border links

The political and physical conditions for a through service have worsened since the South Korean project was suspended. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea detonated sections of the Gyeongui and Donghae roads on October 15, 2024, after announcing that it would cut roads and railways linking the two countries.

North Korean state media then confirmed that the country's revised constitution defined South Korea as a hostile state. The demolition and constitutional change run against the premise of near-term railway cooperation.

The interior of a DMZ Peace Train carriage
The interior of a DMZ Peace Train that operated on part of the Gyeongwon Line. (Jeon Han／Korea.net, CC BY-SA 2.0)

What the restart can and cannot change

The project can restore track and related infrastructure under South Korean control. It cannot by itself recreate the connections removed on the northern side of the border or produce an operating agreement with North Korea.

South Korea plans to restart construction in 2027 and finish its section by 2029. Meeting that target would restore track under South Korean control; opening service to Wonsan would be a separate diplomatic and infrastructure project with no announced timetable.

Frequently asked questions

Will trains run from Seoul to Wonsan after this project?
No such service has been agreed. The announced work covers a disconnected section inside South Korea and only preserves the option of a later extension.

How much of the project has already been completed?
South Korea's Ministry of Unification said land acquisition and design were complete on August 5, but trackbed construction was only 3 percent complete.

When is construction due to resume?
South Korea plans to restart construction in 2027 and has set 2029 as the completion target for its section of the line.

Has North Korea accepted the proposal?
No cross-border agreement has been announced. APPI News could not find a public North Korean statement specifically addressing the plan as of August 29, 2026.