Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan confirmed  Friday that some overseas Chinese were killed and injured in a major train collision Thursday in Ryongchon in the North Pyong'an province of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Kong said in response to a reporter's question that the Chinese side didn't have many details on the situation yet, but preliminary investigation proved that some overseas Chinese died and were injured in the train collision.

Kong vowed China would further verify the related situation.

Earlier on Friday, the Yonhap news agency reported that officials of the Republic of Korea said a large explosion occurred near a train station in the northwest of the DPRK on Thursday afternoon, killing or injuring up to 3,000 people.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2004)