South Korea’s plan to resume work next year on restoring the southern section of the Gyeongwon Line, a railway line that historically linked the two Koreas, is unlikely to entice the North to resume diplomatic talks but could still bring tangible benefits to Seoul, according to experts.

The project, which is expected to be completed by 2029 after a roughly decadelong suspension, is intended to prepare for the eventual reconnection of the railway through the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). It would allow direct train services between Seoul and Wonsan in the DPRK if inter-Korean relations improve, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young