Anchor: South and North Korea held a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday to reconnect and modernize inter-Korean roads and railways. The ceremony saw the attendance of some 200 people from both Koreas. 
Our Bae Joo-yon has more. 

Report: Seoul's Unification Ministry said the groundbreaking ceremony to reconnect and modernize inter-Korean roads and railways began as scheduled at Panmun Station in the North's border town of Gaeseong at around 10 a.m.

Some 100 people from South Korea attended the 50-minute event, including high-ranking government officials such as Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon. Chairman of the ruling Democratic Party Lee Hae-han as well as five members of separated families were also in attendance. 

From North Korea, also around 100 people took part, including Ri Son-gwon, the chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country and Kim Yun-hyok, the vice railways minister.

The ceremony began with a performance by the North’s brass band followed by speeches delivered by the transport ministers of the two Koreas. A signing ceremony was then held followed by the unveiling of road signs. 

In a press release, the Unification Ministry said the groundbreaking ceremony is meaningful in that it demonstrates the Koreas' willingness to actively cooperate on the modernization and connection project of their railways and roads going forward.

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, the government plans to take steps to devise basic plans after conducting further inspections. 

However, the path leading to the actual reconnection and modernization of the railways and roads is expected to be bumpy, given that related efforts are linked with situations related to the North's denuclearization and global sanctions imposed on North Korea.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.