[13] After the end of Japanese rule and the subsequent partition of Korea, Sentetsu's Sahae and Hwanghae Main Lines were located in the northern half, becoming part of the Korean State Railway.

[1] After the Korean War, the Railway Ministry of the DPRK put great effort into rebuilding and expanding the country's rail network; part of the expansion plan was the conversion of the former Hwanghae Lines to standard gauge.

Refurbishment of the Sariwŏn—Hasŏng Hwanghae Main Line was completed in 1956; Kim Il Sung visited the reconstruction works in June of that year.

[14] As a result, the new standard gauge line opened in 1958 to replace these sections is longer than the original alignment.

The main bulk commodities shipped in the southbound direction are anthracite, limestone and cement.

Anthracite is an important commodity on the line due to the lack of coal resources in South Hwanghae Province.

Limestone is also an important commodity, shipped from the quarries at Sinwŏn to the Haeju Cement Factory.