North Korea has threatened to scrap all inter-Korean agreements on tourism if South Korea continues to suspend tourism programs to the North’s Mount Geumgang and Gaeseong.

The North’s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement on Friday that it will restart tours to Gaeseong this month and to Mount Geumgang next month and that it would take special measures if Seoul continues to block South Koreans from visiting the North’s tour destinations.

The North said it has fully addressed the South’s request to guarantee South Korean tourists’ safety.

Seoul, however, disagreed, reiterating that it will resume the tours once the safety issue is completely resolved.

Currently, the South’s tangible assets in Mount Geumgang --- including a hotel, a golf course and roads --- are estimated to be worth 200 billion won.

Tours to the mountain resort were suspended in July 2008 after a South Korean tourist was shot to death by a North Korean solider after walking into a “no entry” zone.

The South continues to demand an official apology and a more detailed explanation of why the shooting occurred.