The two Koreas have launched a daily cross-border railway cargo service for the first time in 56 years.

A South Korean cargo train left South Korea’s Munsan station at 6:20 a.m. Tuesday and arrived at North Korea’s Panmun station at around 9 a.m., crossing the heavily fortified border dividing the two Koreas.

Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung and some 100 others later traveled to the North Korean train station for a joint ceremony marking the launch of the cross-border cargo train service.

Lee said in a congratulatory speech at the ceremony that the inter-Korean railway will contribute to the development of the Gaesong industrial ark as well as peace, reconciliation and reunification of the two Koreas.

The freight train will leave the South's Munsan station every weekday at 9 a.m. and depart from Panmun for the return journey at 2 p.m.