Koreas Connect a Little

The officials of North and South Korea participated in a ceremony to connect the countries’ roads and railways. Two trains started from either side of the peninsula and met up at the border.

The event was mostly symbolic, but it is another move toward peace. It is not likely much more will happen while North Korea is under international sanctions over its nuclear program.

South Korea had to get an exemption from the UN just to hold the ceremony. Still, South Korea believes that the move shows that both countries are willing to cooperate for rail and roadway modernization in the future.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry said the construction will move forward ‘while observing North Korea’s denuclearization progress and international sanctions against North Korea.

Difficult words: peninsula (a piece of land almost surrounded by water), exemption (an exception, a special change), be willing to do something (when you are willing to do something, you are not very happy about doing it but you do it).