The government says 21 South Korean workers at North Korea's Mount Geumgang resort voluntarily returned to the South Tuesday.

In a briefing, Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun stressed they were not evicted by North Korea. The North had earlier announced it would expel what it called 'unnecessary' South Korean workers from the mountain resort.

Kim said more are scheduled to leave the resort Wednesday. He said the workforce at Geumgang is fit to handle hundreds of South Korean tourists, but now that tours are halted, it's not economical to maintain the force.

He said all workers other than essential staff necessary for building maintenance and facility supervision will return to the South.

As of Wednesday, 227 South Koreans and 508 foreigners remain in Geumgang. The foreigners are ethnic Koreans from China and other nationals employed by the South Korean government and Hyundai Asan, the operator of the Mount Geumgang tours.