The Tomun Railway, which had completed its mainline from Hoeryŏng to Tonggwanjin on 1 November 1924,[2] expanded its network in order to serve the collieries around Hoeryŏng by building a 10.6 km (6.6 mi) branchline from Hoeryŏng to Kyerim, which was opened for service on 11 August 1928.[3]
Less than a year later, on 1 April 1929 the Tomun Railway was nationalised and absorbed by the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu).[2] Sentetsu continued to operate the line, and then further expanded it with the addition of a 1.1 km (0.68 mi) extension to Singyerim; this extension was opened on 21 December 1932,[4] but was subsequently closed.
The line has changed hands several times since its construction. Following the absorption of the Tomun Railway by Sentetsu in 1929, on 1 October 1933 the Hoeryŏng Colliery Line, along with the rest of Sentetsu's Tomun Line to Unggi, were transferred to the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu).[5] Mantetsu took over the management, operation and maintenance of these lines, until finally on 1 July 1940 it was transferred back to Sentetsu.[6]
Japanese Government Railways (1937). 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在 [The List of Stations as of 1 October 1937] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Kawaguchi Printing Company. p. 506.
