The government is trying to confirm a report that a 17-year-old female solider was the one that shot and killed the South Korean tourist at Mount Geumgang last week.

A source familiar with inter-Korean affairs said Monday the government received the report from a group of South Koreans that said they heard the story from North Korean officials during a recent trip to the communist state.

However, the source was quick to express skepticism over the report, saying it is hard to tell whether a young female solider is assigned to guard posts.

The government is cautiously studying the report as the North Korean officials who told the story to the South Korean group were reportedly not high-ranking.