The World On arirang

This year is meaningful as it marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It has also been 27 years since Korea and China established diplomatic ties. Arirang TV filmed a special documentary about the Iron Silk Road, covering 13 cities in Korea, China, and North Korea, to look back on the past century and to project the future of the next century of Korea. The ‘Iron Silk Road’ is a railroad network that connects the Eurasian continent. It is a large-scale railroad project aiming to combine the Trans-Korea Railway (TKR), Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR), Trans-China Railway (TCR), and Trans-Manchurian Railway (TMR).

In episode 1, we will look into the reasons behind Urumqi’s recent rapid development, a city that once prospered during the ancient Silk Road era but declined in modern days. We will also find out how railroads can affect local economies, industrial structures, and our lives. This episode will also cover the New Economic Map of the Korean Peninsula that is being pushed ahead after the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit and the co-research that is being conducted by the two Koreas to connect railroads.

The Iron Silk Road will promote peace and prosperity on Northeast Asia by linking policies such as Korea’s New Northern Policy and New Southern Policy, and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Like warp and weft, cities and countries including Korea, China, North Korea, Europe, etc., will be intertwined by dialogue and cooperation. The story of the present and the future they will build starts now.