South Korea will respond around early next week to North Korea's proposal for working-level talks to resume South Korean tours to the North's Moung Geumgang resort.

A Seoul official says the government is reviewing the proposal in consideration of various factors including inter-Korean family reunions scheduled to be held later this month. North Korea had proposed the talks be held at its border city of Gaeseong on October 15th.

Some speculate that Pyongyang is trying to link the talks on Geumgang tours to the family reunions and that the talks should therefore be delayed until next month.

A Unification Ministry official says options are being mulled and a decision has yet to be made.

The family reunions will take place from October 30th to November fifth.