Two trains traveled each way across the North-South Korean border on May 17 for the first time since the 1951-1953 Korean War.
According to the agency, Seoul said at bilateral talks on a ministerial level that it views the historic link-up as the first step toward regular rail transport across peninsula, and hopes this will grant South Korean tourists direct access to alpine resorts in the north.
Regular rail communication would make it easier for North Korean workers to reach the industrial zone in Kaesong, near the border with the South, and to facilitate the delivery of raw materials for the North's light industry.
The two rail networks were re-linked on June 14, 2003, but trains did not start as planned last May because the militaries failed to ensure security guarantees. Two months later, North Korea tested new missiles, and then in October carried out a nuclear bomb test, causing setbacks in relations.
Talks resumed only in February after a successful round of six-party talks also involving China, Japan, Russia and the United States when Pyongyang agreed to dismantle its nuclear program for aid, energy supplies and security guarantees.
If linked with the Trans-Siberian Railway, the trans-Korean line would connect the Korean Peninsula directly to Europe.
