Anchor: The government has proposed working-level discussions with North Korea over Pyongyang's plan to remove all South Korean facilities at Mount Geumgang, located just north of the inter-Korean border on the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. Speaking to reporters on Monday, the Unification Ministry said Seoul sent a notice to the North containing the proposal for talks.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: Seoul has proposed working-level talks with Pyongyang after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un instructed his officials to remove all South Korean facilities at the Mount Geumgang resort. 

Seoul's Unification Ministry announced that it extended the offer Monday morning via the inter-Korean liaison office in the North Korean border city of Gaeseong. 

[Sound bite: Unification Ministry Spokesperson Lee Sang-min (Korean)]
"Regarding the Mount Geumgang tourism [project], any unilateral move concerning the property rights of our companies goes against public sentiment and can hurt inter-Korean relations. As such, it is necessary to hold sufficient consultations between the two Koreas to reasonably resolve the issue." 

Unification Ministry spokesperson Lee Sang-min also noted that Seoul proposed discussions on ways to improve tourism to Mount Geumgang in the North.

The government noted that officials from Hyundai Asan, the operator of the suspended inter-Korean tour program, will also take part in the proposed talks.  

[Sound bite: Unification Ministry Spokesperson Lee Sang-min (Korean)]
"Hyundai Asan has proposed to accompany [South Korean] authorities for consultations on issues raised by the North as well as a new direction for the development of the Mount Geumgang district." 

The spokesperson said there will be further announcements once the date, venue and agenda are set for the talks.  

Shortly after Kim's remarks were released, the South received a message from the North, which called for settling the issue by exchanging documents rather than holding in-person talks.
  
[Sound bite: Korean Central TV (Oct. 23)] 
"[Chairman Kim said] that it is a mistaken notion that Geumgang tours cannot be revived unless inter-Korean relations are improved."

Located near the eastern inter-Korean border, South Korean tours to the scenic resort ran for about ten years until 2008 when a South Korean female tourist was shot to death by a North Korean guard.

The two Koreas agreed during an inter-Korean summit last year to resume suspended inter-Korean projects, including the Geumgang tour program, as soon as conditions are met. 

Following last year's Pyongyang summit in September, the two Koreas failed to further improve cross-border ties. North Korea has since been critical of South Korea for failing to persuade the U.S. to lift sanctions banning the resumption of inter-Korean economic projects. 
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.

[Photo : YONHAP News]