North Korea said Wednesday it would take "stern measures" against South Korea if the nation's conservative right-wing groups cause any changes to a tourism program to the North's Mount Geumgang.

The North’s Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North’s joint ventures with the South, issued a statement saying Seoul’s opposition Grand National Party must stop calling for an end to the tourism project.

The party accuses the North of funneling hard currency earned from the tours to support its military.

The committee rejected calls for paying tourism fees in goods instead of cash, saying it would run counter to the mutual agreement between the two Koreas as well as widely accepted international practice.