S-N Korea to set up cultural centers jointly in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-Il agreed during their Pyongyang summit in July that South and North Korea will jointly promote the establishment of cultural centers in three to four major Russian cities. This was revealed Tuesday by Ten Yuri, a member of the Russian Federal House of Representatives who accompanied Putin on his Pyongyang visit, said Rep. Lee Nak-Yon of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party.

Rep. Yuri is visiting Seoul at the invitation of the MDP¡¯s special committee for the promotion of reconciliation, cooperation and exchanges between the South and the North.

The Russian lawmaker also said in a seminar that Korea and Russia need to establish a joint venture transportation company if the South and North Korean railroads are linked to the Trans Siberian Railway.

In a keynote speech at the seminar held at the National Assemblymen¡¯s Hall in Yoido under the sponsorship of the special committee, Yuri claimed that if the two Koreas and Russia jointly realize the trans-Eurasia railway, the period for cargo transportation between Northeast Asia and Europe will be reduced by six days and costs will be also drastically cut, strengthening the competitiveness of all three countries.

Yun Seung-Mo ysmo@donga.com