Temporary Military Railway
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Native name
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臨時軍用鐵道幹部 임시 군용 철도감부 |
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Romanized name
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Rinji Gun'yō Tetsudōkanbu Imsi Gunyong Cheoldoganbu |
| Industry | Land transport |
| Fate | Nationalised |
| Predecessor | Western Railway |
| Successor | National Railway |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Defunct | 1 September 1906 |
| Headquarters |
Gyeongseong, Korean Empire |
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Area served
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Korea |
| Services | Passenger & freight railways |
The Temporary Military Railway Office (Japanese: 臨時軍用鐵道幹部, Rinji Gun'yō Tetsudōkanbu; Korean: 임시 군용 철도감부, Imsi Gunyong Cheoldoganbu), was a pseudo-corporate entity established by the Imperial Japanese Army to build and operate the Gyeongui Line railway from Gyeongseong (today: Seoul) to Sinuiju.
It opened the second railway line on the Korean peninsula in April 1906, and was nationalised to create the National Railway in September of the same year.
Construction of a railway line running north from Hanseong had been envisioned since the end of the 19th century, but the lack of funding led to the failure of several attempts. Over the last five years of the century several abortive attempts were made to that end. In 1896 the French Fives Lille obtained the rights to build a railway line in Korea, but after failing to secure the necessary funding, the rights were transferred to the "Korean Railway Company" (대한철도회사, Hanguk Cheoldohoesa) in 1899. However, this attempt likewise went nowhere. Finally, in 1900, the government-owned "Western Railway" (서부철도회사, Seobu Cheoldohoesa) began surveying a route for a railway from Gyeongseong to Gaeseong. Construction of what was to become the first section of the Gyeongui Line began in 1902.
Imperial Japan, which had gained the concession to build the Gyeongbu Line from Seoul to Busan, recognised that a railway running through all of Korea from north to south would serve as a means to strengthen its influence over Korea, sought to gain control of the Gyeongui Line project as well. When the Russo-Japanese War broke out in 1904, Japan ignored Korea's declaration of neutrality, transporting troops to Incheon and forcing the Korean government to sign an agreement that gave Japan's military control of railway projects if deemed necessary for military operations. The Imperial Japanese Army then established the Temporary Military Railway Office, and took over control of the Western Railway, intending to use the line to assist with military operations against Russia in Manchuria. The Yongsan–Gaeseong section was completed in March 1904, followed by the completion of the Pyeongyang–Sinuiju (today's Kangan Station) section on 28 April 1905, and freight operations between Yongsan and Sinuiju began on 5 November of that year. Although the war had ended on 5 September of that year, the Japanese military retained control of the Temporary Military Railway, still intent on using it to ensure its dominance in Korea. In the following year, bridges were completed over the Cheongcheon and Daedong rivers, allowing for the operation of through trains between Yongsan and Sinŭiju. The Gyeongui Line was officially opened on 3 April 1906.
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