A South Korean tourist was shot and killed at North Korea’s Mount Geumgang resort.

The South Korean government said that the 53-year-old woman, only identified by her family name Park, was reportedly shot in her chest and leg while taking a walk alone in the North's military facility protection zone at around 4:30 a.m. Friday.

The woman's body was taken to a hospital in the east coast city of Sokcho south of the inter-Korean border in the afternoon.

Tours to the scenic resort on the North's east coast were launched in 1998 by Hyundai Asan, a subsidiary of the former Hyundai Group.