Russia resumes coal exports via North Korea
Acting governor of the Primorsky Krai (the Far East region of Russia), Andrei Tarasenko stated that Russia has resumed coal supplies for export through the North Korean port Rajin, Interfax reports.
“Today here [in Primorsky Krai], we have sent the first coal train to Rajin where we started to use their port facilities,” Tarasenko announced. He added that this route does not violate sanctions because there are no restrictions on the port infrastructure.
Earlier, the Ambassador of Russia in Pyongyang, Alexander Matsegora stated that Seoul’s sanctions against North Korea are impeding the supply of Russian coal to South Korea through Rajin.
In September 2013, Russia and North Korea completed the reconstruction of the Hassan-Rajin railway section. The project included the construction of the terminal in Rajin port. The section was expected to become a part of the Trans-Korean railway and make it the shortest route from Asia-Pacific countries to Europe.
At the end of 2013, the memorandum on cooperation in the project was signed by the Russian Railways state-owned corporation and a consortium of South Korean companies. In March 2016, South Korea withdrew from the project, imposing sanctions against North Korea.