Our top story this hour...<br />This morning, South Korea delivered 50 tons of pesticide to North Korea's border town of Gaeseong.<br />In the afternoon, the officials from the two Koreas... will be conducting a joint inspection of the nearby pine forests.<br />Our Oh Jung-hee starts us off. <br />Forestry experts and officials from South Korea's Forest Service headed to North Korea's border town of Gaeseong on Thursday morning... to deliver 50 tons of chemicals to control pine wilt.<br />According to Seoul's unification ministry, the delivery is to prevent damage from spreading throughout the pine forests,... as they have a limited amount of time to control pine wilt -- only up until March.<br />After unloading them in the morning,... the South Korean team will inspect a nearby pine forest with North Korean officials in the afternoon... and conduct pest control operations.<br />It doesn't go against UN sanctions... as the chemicals are not restricted items... and the necessary equipment is to be provided by the North.<br />This is the second time South Korea sent officials for an on-site visit to North Korea's forests.<br />Back in August, Seoul officials visited the North's Geumgangsan Mountain for a joint survey.<br /><br />During Thursday's on-site visit, forestry teams from South and North Korea will also touch upon modernizing tree nurseries as well, according to Seoul.<br />At their forestry talks in October, the two sides agreed to start modernizing 10 tree nurseries in the North this year.<br />Seoul says it's been communicating with Washington through their bilateral working group... and will seek ways not to violate the international sanctions.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the two Koreas are starting joint on-site inspections of railways in North Korea on Friday.<br />For two-and-a-half weeks, an inter-Korean research team and train cars will be moving together as they test the western Gyeongui Line first... and the eastern Donghae Line.<br />The on-site survey is to end in mid-December.<br />Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News. <br />
