South Korea, DPRK to address tourism

South Korea has urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, to resolve cross-border tourism issues through dialogue and not to infringe upon property rights of South Korean companies, in the Mount Kumgang (Kuumgung) resort area.

There Wednesday, the DPRK finished its week-long survey of South Korean real estate and property. The DPRK said it may seek a new business partner if South Korea fails to resume cross-border tours, by the beginning of April.

However, the South Korean Unification Ministry said in a statement, that violating their property rights could make the resumption of Mount Kumgang tours "difficult" and that all pending issues can only be resolved through dialogue.

Tours to Mount Kumgang were launched in 1998, and run by South Korea's Hyundai Asan Corporation But they were halted in 2008, shortly after a female South Korean tourist was shot dead by a DPRK soldier.

Tourists look at the DPRK side at an observation tower in Paju on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas, 2009. (AFP/File/Jung Yeon-Je)