The head of the South Korean operator of the stalled joint tourism program to the North's Mount Geumgang says it will be difficult to resume the project this year. 

However, while speaking to reporters after returning from the North Monday, Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun said she thinks the program will be up and running "in the not so distant future.” 

Asked whether the two Koreas discussed the possible resumption of the Mount Geumgang tourist program during her latest trip, she confirmed the North’s will to swiftly resume it, but said there were no concrete discussions. 

Hyun and around 100 other South Koreans visited the North for two days to attend events to mark the 20th anniversary of the tourism project.