The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) wants the Republic of Korea (RoK) to send private businesses to a working-level meeting over suspended tours to a border mountain resort, Seoul's Unification Ministry said on July 26.
The DPRK put forward the condition in response to RoK’s proposal for a discussion on tourism issues at the Mount Geumgang resort.
In a message sent to the Seoul on July 26, Pyongyang said that it only accepts the proposal if Seoul brings representatives of private companies who own properties at the resort to the talks, the ministry said in a press release.
Pyongyang added that it will unilaterally dispose the other side’s properties at the resort in accordance with its relevant laws if RoK businesses’ intended to take the opportunity of holding the meeting to hinder negotiations over assets problems.
Seoul 's Unification Ministry, which oversees the inter-Korean affairs, said it is currently discussing with related authorities on how to respond to the DPRK.
The two Koreas have held two rounds of talks about the RoK's assets at the scenic resort since last June, but made no breakthrough.
At the latest negotiations held on July 13, Pyongyang set July 29 as the deadline for further dialogue with Seoul on the assets issue.
Tours to Mt. Geumgang , launched in 1998 and run by RoK's Hyundai Asan Corp., were halted in 2008 briefly after an RoK female tourist was shot dead by a DPRK soldier.
Seoul has repeatedly refused to reopen tours, saying Pyongyang failed to conduct a proper investigation into the incident and apply safety guarantees, while the latter said it has done enough.
The DPRK unilaterally seized RoK’s properties at the resort in 2010 and cancelled Hyundai Group's exclusive rights to operate tours at Mt. Geumgang in April. It also declared to establish a special zone for international tours at the resort./.
The DPRK put forward the condition in response to RoK’s proposal for a discussion on tourism issues at the Mount Geumgang resort.
In a message sent to the Seoul on July 26, Pyongyang said that it only accepts the proposal if Seoul brings representatives of private companies who own properties at the resort to the talks, the ministry said in a press release.
Pyongyang added that it will unilaterally dispose the other side’s properties at the resort in accordance with its relevant laws if RoK businesses’ intended to take the opportunity of holding the meeting to hinder negotiations over assets problems.
Seoul 's Unification Ministry, which oversees the inter-Korean affairs, said it is currently discussing with related authorities on how to respond to the DPRK.
The two Koreas have held two rounds of talks about the RoK's assets at the scenic resort since last June, but made no breakthrough.
At the latest negotiations held on July 13, Pyongyang set July 29 as the deadline for further dialogue with Seoul on the assets issue.
Tours to Mt. Geumgang , launched in 1998 and run by RoK's Hyundai Asan Corp., were halted in 2008 briefly after an RoK female tourist was shot dead by a DPRK soldier.
Seoul has repeatedly refused to reopen tours, saying Pyongyang failed to conduct a proper investigation into the incident and apply safety guarantees, while the latter said it has done enough.
The DPRK unilaterally seized RoK’s properties at the resort in 2010 and cancelled Hyundai Group's exclusive rights to operate tours at Mt. Geumgang in April. It also declared to establish a special zone for international tours at the resort./.
