The government will announce early next month measures in response to North Korea's freeze of South Korean assets in the North’s Mount Geumgang district.

North Korea declared last week its plan to freeze the assets and expel South Korean workers. A Seoul official says the government will observe the implementation and announce countermeasures.

North Korea also demanded that South Korean companies owning properties at Geumgang visit the North this week. The official says if the companies are willing, the government will approve their visits.