The United Nations Security Council has granted a sanctions exemption to enable the two Koreas to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for their project to modernize and reconnect roads and railways across the border this week.

A Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said on Tuesday that consultations over the groundbreaking ceremony with the council's North Korea sanctions committee were wrapped up Monday.
 
The exemption will enable South and North Korea to hold the event on Wednesday as scheduled at Panmun Station in the North's border town of Gaesong. 

While the groundbreaking ceremony itself is not subject to UN sanctions imposed on the North, the waiver was needed for the train that South Korean officials are planning to take, as well as for other materials necessary for the event, to enter the North.

South Korea reportedly sought the sanctions exemption from the UN after consulting with the U.S. during their working group meeting on North Korea held in Seoul last week.