South Korea's minister in charge of inter-Korean affairs on Friday met with businesses that participated in the tour program at North Korea's Mount Geumgang to express his resolve to seek individual tours to the resort.

Stating that he feels a great sense of responsibility and disappointment over the delayed resumption of the tours, Unification Minister Lee In-young vowed to make efforts toward a prompt resumption, including through individual trips.

Lee also called the Mount Geumgang project the most successful and symbolic peace-directed initiative for the two Koreas.

The minister added that he plans to seek a tour resumption as soon as the right atmosphere is established between the two sides, but apologized to the businesses over the current frayed cross-border ties.

Joint tours to the scenic mountain resort, which were suspended after the shooting death of a South Korean tourist by a North Korean soldier in July 2008, haven't resumed amid sanctions against the North's nuclear and missile development.