Trains crossed the border between North and South Korea on Thursday for the first time in 56 years, as part of the countries’ efforts to reconciliation on the divided Korean Peninsula.

The two trains crossed the border between the two countries for the first time since the rail links had been broken off at the beginning of the 1959-1953 Korean War.

South Korean Defence Minister Lee Jae Joung said at South Korean station at Munsan that this event marks the beginning of a new age for the Korean Peninsula, symbolizing the unity between the two countries.

"These are not just test runs. They mean reconnecting the severed bloodline of the Korean nation. It means that the heart of the Korean peninsula is beating again," said Lee. "The trains carry our dream of peace."

The two Koreas ``should not be derailed from the track or hesitate'' in their moves toward unification, North Korean Senior Cabinet Councilor Kwon Ho Ung said.

``Even at this point, challenges are continuing from divisive forces at home and abroad who don't like reconciliation and unification of our people,'' Kwon said.

The train that left from Munsan carried 150 passengers, 50 of them from North Korea, and crossed the border with its armed soldiers, landmines and barbed wire to travel some 27 km toward Kaesong, North Korea.

At the same time, a train on the east coast traveled a 25km from North Korea's Mount Kumgang to Jejin, South Korea.

The mending of the train lines was agreed upon seven years ago at the first North-South summit. This is seen as one of the most important steps to reconciliation. Technically, the two countries are still at war, as their conflict ended with a cease fire, and not a peace treaty.