The Unification Ministry says human exchanges between South and North Korea topped seven-thousand last year amid improved relations. 

The ministry said in its “2019 Unification White Paper” released on Thursday that six-thousand-689 South Koreans visited North Korea while 809 North Koreans visited the South in 2018. 

Back in 2017 when inter-Korean relations were strained, only 52 South Koreans traveled to the North and 63 North Koreans visited the South. 

The ministry said the surge in human exchanges resulted after government authorities of the two Koreas engaged in various bilateral exchanges and cooperation. In addition, bilateral activities at the private and local economic levels, including in the fields of sports, religion and academics helped increase the number of exchanges. 

However, the ministry said due to international sanctions imposed on the North and with operations at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex yet to be resumed, inter-Korean trade saw meager growth. 

South Korea imported eleven million dollars worth of goods from North Korea, while the North imported 21 million dollars worth of products from the South, resulting in a trade volume of about 32 million dollars last year. 

Though the figure was larger than the one million dollars posted in 2017, it was significantly smaller compared to the one billion dollar trade volume that the two Koreas had enjoyed when the Gaeseong complex was in operation.

[Photo : YONHAP News]