The number of South Koreans visiting North Korea has skyrocketed since the August 25 South-North agreement.
 
The Ministry of Unification said Monday that more than 800 South Koreans visited the North in October.
 
It is nearly 20 times the monthly average this year through September although the figure excludes those related to the reunions of war-separated families held last month as well as those visiting the Gaeseong Industrial Complex on a regular basis.
 
According to the ministry’s data, only 418 people from the South traveled to the North between January and September this year, approximately 46 people per month.
 
The ministry said many people visited the North last month to participate in various inter-Korean events, including an exhibition of relics uncovered from a joint excavation site at Manwoldae near Gaeseong and a scholars’ meeting at the Mount Geumgang resort on an inter-Korean project to create a joint dictionary.
 
Labor groups from the two Koreas also held a joint friendly football event in the North in October.
 
The ministry also noted that around 140 South Koreans, including those from the Korea Conference of Religions For Peace, will also cross the border later in the day to attend an inter-Korean meeting between religious leaders.