A $35 billion (£26 billion) railtrack that would link North and South Korea to Moscow is among a flurry of ambitious economic projects being discussed in the wake of the Singapore summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, the US president.

The fragile international détente has spurred a wave of excitement among global investors keen to capitalise on the opening up of the mineral-rich hermit kingdom, despite sanctions over its nuclear and weapons programmes still remaining in place.

Key to that investment would be an upgrade of North Korea’s creaking infrastructure and ageing railway system, stretches of which can only allow slowing moving trains travelling at about 30mph, reported the website, Noon in Korea.

On a rare South Korean state visit to Russia at the weekend, President Moon Jae-in suggested a “Northern Silk Road” that would enable the connection of the whole of the Korean Peninsula with the Trans-Siberian railway, the longest railway line in the world and a key transport link to Europe.

Mr Moon, accompanied by South Korean rail officials, made his proposal to President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and the Russian parliament, along with plans to boost energy links across the region and to raise South Korea-Russia trade to over $30 billion by 2020.