本研究是以韓半島北部鐵路為主題的研究。並依照時間順序從日據時代、光復初期、韓國戰爭等依序檢討韓半島北部地區的鐵路運輸管理。為此，本論文搜集了勞動新聞、朝鮮中央年鑑、金日成回顧錄、前鐵道相金會一的相關文章、蘇聯民政廳時期的鐵路資料等第一手資料作為依據進行分析和整理。北韓交通是以鐵路為主要，道路為輔助，以此發展而成。這也是從日據時代開始發展至今的政策。韓半島鐵路始於朝鮮末期京仁線的開通，但是韓半島北部地區鐵路卻是因為日本為了奪取資源和侵略滿洲而建造的。朝鮮總督府鐵道局和滿州鐵路都是使用標準軌（1,435mm），另一小部分是使用窄軌。日俄戰爭、九一八事變、抗日戰爭時期，韓半島的鐵路也被動員參與運輸資源和侵略。朝鮮總督府在韓半島共建造了6,497km的鐵路，其中北部地區有4,009km，南部地區有2,448km，目前北韓鐵路有將近70%都是基於該時期所建造的路線。現今北韓鐵路的基本骨幹也都是基於日據時代的基礎發展而成。其中為了礦產開發和觀光，部分路線交由民營鐵路公司和南滿鐵路建設和管理。日本戰敗從韓半島撤退之後，在蘇聯軍隊接管北部地區的過程當中，部分鐵路和設備遭到破壞，引發了混亂和掠奪事件。另外，過去日本的產業政策，並沒有培育朝鮮人出身的科學家和高階技術人員，鐵路部門也面臨了類似的狀況。因此，接管北韓主要產業設施的蘇聯軍隊和之後接手管理的金日成（以後的北韓政權），在恢復的過程當中遇到相當多的困難。光復初期，北韓的主要鐵路交通全面中斷。金日成政權的交通省在蘇聯的支援之下，進行戰後修復工作。之後，該單位獨立成為現在的鐵道省。在這段時期執得注意的是北韓利用鐵路協助國共內戰的部分。北韓透過鐵路運送物資、產業設備、兵力和主要人士。中國共產黨當時利用鐵路把主要產業設備轉移到北韓北部。另從香港、上海、山東、大連等地運送物資、兵力和相關人士到北韓的南浦，再經由北韓鐵路進入中國東北各地。從新義州到羅津之間的“朝鮮走廊”成為中共贏得東北戰役的主要關鍵。當時北韓鐵路成了朝中之間友誼的象徵。

This study, which treats the railroad in the northern Korean Peninsula, aims to review its development during the Japanese Occupation. For this, the study collected and analyzed the primary materials such as the autobiography of Kim Il-sung, the autobiography of Kim Jung-il, and the railroad documents of the Soviet Union's military government in North Korea. The transportation in North Korea is composed of the main role of railroad and the supporting role of roads, which policy has remained steadfast from the Period of Japanese Occupation to this day. The late years of the Joseon period saw the opening of Gyeongin Line. The development of the railroad in North Korea went into high gear when the Japanese Empire aimed to exploit the local natural resources and invade Manchuria. The Department of Railroad of the Japanese colonial government in Korea and South Manchuria Railway Company equally adopted the standard-gauge railway (1,435 mm) and adopted the narrow-gauge railway only for a few areas. During the Russo-Japanese War, the Manchurian Incident, and the Second Sino-Japanese War, the railroad in the Korean Peninsula was used to plunder the natural resources and for invasion. The total length of the railroad developed by the Japanese colonial government in Korea was 6,497 km, which accounted for about 70% of the current railroad in North Korea. The current framework of the North Korean railroad has its archetype in the Period of Japanese Occupation. Some private railroad company engaged in the development for the purpose of development of minerals and tourism, while South Manchurian Railway Company handled the development in some other regions. As the Japanese Empire withdrew in the wake of its defeat and the Soviet Union's Pacific forces invaded the region, some of the railroad and related facilities were destroyed while others faced plundering in various forms during the confusion. The Japanese Empire did not train Koreans as scientists or high-caliber engineers for the major industries, which was also the case with railroad. Therefore, the Soviet military government which came to control the major industrial facilities in North Korea and Kim Il-sung's (subsequently, the North Korean) regime that took them over from the Soviets had difficulty in restoring them. In the early days following the National Liberation, the major industries and railroad entirely went out of operation in North Korea. The Ministry of Transportation of the Kim Il-sung regime undertook its restoration with the support of the Soviet Union and the Ministry of Railroad came into being as a separate ministry. What is notable about this period is the fact that North Korea and the Communist Party of China used the North Korean railroad to carry military forces, supplies, industrial equipment, and key persons during the Chinese Civil War. The major industrial facilities from the Communist-occupied regions were moved to the northern part of North Korea, using the railroad. The materiel, forces, and key persons that arrived to Nampo from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shandong, and Dalian moved to different parts in Manchuria through the North Korean railroad. Furthermore, the Korean Corridor stretching from Rajin and Sinuiju laid the cornerstone for the Communist victory in the Manchurian battles. The contemporary North Korean railroad was a device that symbolized the North Korea-China friendship.