Putin and Korea's "Silk Road Express": Russia's Game on the Korean Peninsula

Abstract

Moscow has shown interest in reducing tensions on the Korean peninsula through promotion of three major trilateral (RF-DPRK-ROK) infrastructure projects: uniting the railroads in both Koreas with the Tran-Siberian Railway as well as constructing gas pipelines and power lines from Primorye to South Korea through North Korea. North Korea's "rapprochement" with Russia is both the result of moves occurring among actors in this game and, at the same time itself a stimulus to ongoing and concurrent reactions by those players. After it reviews the trilateral cooperation among Russia-North Korea-South Korea regarding the gas pipeline in 2011-2012, this article examines the trilateral cooperation regarding railways in 2013-2014.