- Title: North Korea asks South Korea to remove its facilities in Mt Kumgang
- Date: 25th October 2019
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) SOUTH KOREA'S UNIFICATION MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, LEE SANG-MIN, AND JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE LEE SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S UNIFICATION MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, LEE SANG-MIN, SAYING: "In a notice, the North said they would rebuild a new international cultural tourist area in Mount Kumgang and want South Korea to visit the Mount Kumgang area on the agreed date and remove facilities set up by the (South Korean) authorities and private companies." JOURNALISTS TYPING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S UNIFICATION MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, LEE SANG-MIN, SAYING: "The government will seek creative solution on Mount Kumgang tourism. Firstly, protecting the property rights of our people, secondly, fully considering the meaning of the Mount Kumgang tour project and its conditions and environment, and thirdly, fully reviewing the changed circumstance." EXTERIOR OF SEOUL GOVERNMENT COMPLEX SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT FLAG
- Embargoed: 8th November 2019 08:19
- Keywords: South Korea Unification Ministry Mount Kumgang North Korea rebuild
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2LGMRR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: FOR FILE FOOTAGE OF MOUNT KUMGANG, PLEASE REFER TO 3010-NORTHKOREA-SOUTHKOREA/REAX SENT ON OCTOBER 23, 2019
South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday (October 25) said that North Korea has proposed that Seoul discuss the removal of its facilities from the North's resort of Mount Kumgang, a key symbol of cooperation.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said South Korea's "backward" and "shabby" facilities at the North's infrequently used resort must be removed and rebuilt in a modern way, state media reported on Wednesday (October 23), in the latest sign of cooling relations between the neighbours.
North Korea sent a notice to the Unification Ministry on Friday morning seeking to discuss the issue through the exchange of documents, the ministry said. The government would consult with the relevant agencies and would respond in a way consistent with "protecting the property rights of our people", the ministry added.
Mt Kumgang was one of two major inter-Korean economic projects, along with the Kaesong industrial zone, and an important token of cooperation between the two Koreas during decades of hostilities following the 1950-53 Korean War. There have been no South Korean tours to Mt Kumgang since 2008, although there have been infrequent inter-Korean events such as the reunions of families estranged by the war.
(Production: Daewoung Kim, Minwoo Park) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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