Hyundai Asan will delay for one year the launch of a new tour program to the North Korean side of Mount Baekdu.

The South Korean operator of tour programs in the North said Thursday it would be difficult to launch the plan this year. The company said it'll focus this year on its current tours to the North Korean border city of Gaeseong and the scenic Mount Geumgang resort.

A Hyundai Asan official said the two Koreas have yet to review details of the proposed tours to the Korean Peninsula's tallest peak, including aviation agreements aimed at facilitating direct travel.

The Mount Baekdu project was scheduled to begin this year, as it was regarded as a "gift" by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun. The tours were also part of an agreement reached during last October’s inter-Korean summit.

The delay comes as South-North ties have become strained in recent months.