Tours to the inner area of North Korea's scenic Mount Geumgang resort, also known as Naegeumgang, launched Friday.

South Korea's Hyundai Asan Corporation, which operates the tours, said that the first group of 150 South Koreans who left for the North Friday will tour the scenic Naegeumgang and see Buddhist cultural relics including the Pyohunsa Temple.

Hyundai says that tours for the end of this month are already sold out.

Tours at the mountain resort have been limited to outlying and coastal areas until now.