The number of South Korean tourists to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea plunged by nearly 36 percent in August from the previous month amid strained inter-Korean relations.

According to the Ministry of Unification on Wednesday, seven-thousand-447 South Korean tourists visited Gaeseong last month, down from eleven-thousand-607 in July. The July figure was also down four-point-five percent from June.

Inter-Korean trade increased six-point-one percent year-on-year in August, but fell nine-point-nine percent from July.

Commercial trade through the Gaeseong Industrial Complex rose 24-point-one percent year-on-year last month to 143-point-five million U.S. dollars.

However, non-commercial trade nearly halved in August from a year earlier to total 19-point-three million dollars.