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N. Korea might start exporting coal for metallurgy in 2015 with Russian help

The implementation of the Russian-North Korean project Pobeda (Victory) will make it possible for North Korea to start exporting metallurgical coal in 2015, one of the participants in the project, LLC NPO Mostovik CEO Oleg Shishov believes.

"We're already discussing this with the North Korean government, that everything will go to [third countries], and they agree. The volume is tens of millions of tonnes at the initial stage, and then we'll see. Let's take the first step," Shishov told reporters.

He said that North Korean coal stands out by its almost complete absence of sulfur. "This is a very important indicator for metallurgical production, particularly for production of high quality steels," Shishov said.

"Mining is already underway there, only with such methods that little is being mined. The methods are very inefficient, unproductive. Modern mining equipment will be delivered there and this will increase production manifold. The reserves there are huge," Shishov said.

He did not specify who would be investing in the development of North Korean coal fields or the countries that would be importing the coal.

Russia and North Korea are now beginning to implement the Pobeda project, which calls for the development of mineral resources and comprehensive reconstruction of North Korea's railway network. A number of Russian companies are participating in the project, including Mostovik. The other participants have not been named.

Source: Russia Beyond The Headlines