The Ministry of Construction and Transportation says it will temporarily open on Wednesday a portion of the inter-Korean Donghae road.

The 4.2 kilometer-long highway section will become the first part of the Donghae road on the Southern side of the border to come into operation. Some sections in the North are nearing completion, while others are already in use.

The inter-Korean project priced at 41.6 billion won or close to 40 million U.S. dollars stretches from the South all the way up to the North's Mt. Geumgang resort, and has so far taken two years and two months to construct.

The makeshift detour road previously used by South Koreans traveling to Mount Geumgang was accident-prone due to its steep slant and narrow width.