Russian Ministry of Energy: gas deliveries to South Korea via DPRK can improve relations between the countries

The Russian deputy Minister of Energy, Anatoly Yankovsky supposes, that cooperation of South and North Korea in infrastructural projects can have not only an economic effect, but normalize relations between the two countries.

The two countries signed a peace agreement after Korean war in 1953, however, relations between Seoul and Pyongyang remain complicated: new conflicts appear constantly.

“I believe, all infrastructural projects connecting South Korea and DPRK: railway, gas transport projects or electricity transmission lines building will not only be economically effective, but can normalize relations between these countries”, Yanovsky said on Thursday, commenting on the agreement about building of a gas line to South Korea via the territory of DPRK, reached between RF and DPRK.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has recently announced  an agreement reached with the leader of North Korea Kim Chen Ir about building of a gas pipeline to provide gas exports to South Korea. Previously, on August 8 Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov discussed building of such pipeline with his Korean colleague Kim Song Hwan. After the negotiations Lavrov said, that the project would be supported by all three parties if corporate agreements were reached.

The length of the pipeline will make up more than 1.1 thousand kilometers, 700 kilometers of which will be laid along the territory of DPRK. Total volume of transportation will make up to 10 billion cubic metres of gas per year and Russian party is ready to broaden this potential.

In June 2009 South Korean Kogas and Gazprom signed an agreement of cooperation in the gas delivery project. Laying of the gas line via DPRK territory is the most reasonable way to deliver gas to South Korea. The agreement presupposes examination of the ways to organize gas deliveries from the final point of Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas transport system. However, building of the pipeline was delayed due to tightening of relations between South Korea and DPRK. Seoul elaborated an alternative variant, presupposing transportation of liquefied natural gas directly from Vladivostok by sea, oilru.com reports.

Source: http://www.rusenergy.com/ru/news/news.php?id=54130

Translated by Alexandra Utyasheva