The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will resume cross-border tours this month regardless of opposition from the Republic of Korea , the state news agency KCNA reported on March 4.
A spokesman of the DPRK’s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement that it would reopen the Kaesong area to tourists starting in March and Mount Kumgang starting in April.
Services and safety would be fully provided for tourists entering the DPRK from the south, the spokesman said.
Tours to Mount Kumgang were suspended after a DPRK sentinel shot dead a RoK tourist after she allegedly strayed into an off-limits zone in July 2008. Tours to Kaesong were suspended shortly afterward amid strained inter-Korean relations.
Both sides resumed working-level talks on Feb.8 this year on the resumption of tours but failed to narrow differences on major issues, including the insurance of safety for RoK tourists.
In his statement, the DPRK spokesman said the RoK’s continued blocking of the tours would compel the DPRK to “take decisive measures,” such as abrogating all agreements and contracts on tourism provided by the DPRK to the southern side as special benefits and freezing real estate owned by the south in the tourist areas.
Following the announcement, the RoK Ministry of Unification reaffirmed that a guarantee of safety for RoK tourists remains the prerequisite for resuming cross-border tours./.
A spokesman of the DPRK’s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement that it would reopen the Kaesong area to tourists starting in March and Mount Kumgang starting in April.
Services and safety would be fully provided for tourists entering the DPRK from the south, the spokesman said.
Tours to Mount Kumgang were suspended after a DPRK sentinel shot dead a RoK tourist after she allegedly strayed into an off-limits zone in July 2008. Tours to Kaesong were suspended shortly afterward amid strained inter-Korean relations.
Both sides resumed working-level talks on Feb.8 this year on the resumption of tours but failed to narrow differences on major issues, including the insurance of safety for RoK tourists.
In his statement, the DPRK spokesman said the RoK’s continued blocking of the tours would compel the DPRK to “take decisive measures,” such as abrogating all agreements and contracts on tourism provided by the DPRK to the southern side as special benefits and freezing real estate owned by the south in the tourist areas.
Following the announcement, the RoK Ministry of Unification reaffirmed that a guarantee of safety for RoK tourists remains the prerequisite for resuming cross-border tours./.
