A South Korean cargo train chugged its way across the heavily fortified border into North Korea on Friday for what may be its last run, with the North putting an end to the historic rail line that had raised hopes for reconciliation between the Cold War foes.
The two Koreas technically remain at war because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended in a truce. Ties began warming following the first-ever summit of their leaders in 2000, with two liberal South Korean presidents adopting a "Sunshine Policy" that called for reaching out to the North with aid.
The suspension illustrates the rapidly souring relations between the two Koreas, at odds since Seoul's conservative President Lee Myung-bak assumed office in February and made a series of moves that upset Pyongyang.
South Korean trains head to North Korea city Kaesong from Dora sation in Paju near the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 28, 2008. North Korea will halt tours of its historic city of Kaesong and stop train service to and from South Korea on Friday because of what it said was Seoul's 'confrontational' policy toward the communist nation.
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