Pyongyang Refuses to Hold In-Person Meeting on Mount Geumgang Facilities
![evernote](javascript:sendEvernote('https://world.kbs.co.kr/special/northkorea/contents/news/contents_view.htm?lang=e&No=373791','Pyongyang Refuses to Hold In-Person Meeting on Mount Geumgang Facilities','<p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 600px; width: 600px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="http://worldimg.kbs.co.kr/src/images/news_hotissue/191104015404_64.jpg"><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align: right;">ⓒKBS News</span></span></span></p><p>The government says North Korea has rejected South Korea's call for in-person talks over South Korean tourist facilities in the Mount Geumgang resort.</p><p><br></p><p>The South Korean Unification Ministry on Tuesday announced that it received a reply from the North, which argued that there is no need to hold an in-person meeting on the matter.</p><p><br></p><p>The ministry explained that Pyongyang insisted on discussing the issue by exchanging documents rather than holding in-person talks.</p><p><br></p><p>Seoul on Monday had proposed talks with Pyongyang after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un instructed his officials to remove all South Korean facilities at the resort.</p><p><br></p><p>Located at scenic Mount Geumgang on North Korea's eastern coast, the resort was once a popular tourist destination for South Koreans until 2008 when a tourist from the South was fatally shot after entering an off-limits military area adjacent to the resort.</p><p><br></p><p>Following North Korea's refusal to meet, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul on Thursday met with the heads of the South Korean operators of the suspended tour program -- Hyundai Asan and the state-run Korean Tourism Organization -- to discuss North Korea's demand.</p><p><br></p><p>At the meeting, Kim said the government and the involved parties should share information and gather wisdom to jointly seek a resolution as they face a grave situation.</p><p><br></p><p>Hyundai Asan dismissed Pyongyang's offer to discuss the matter in writing, adding it would have to visit the resort before deciding on the removal of facilities.</p>');){kind=link}
ⓒKBS News
The government says North Korea has rejected South Korea's call for in-person talks over South Korean tourist facilities in the Mount Geumgang resort.
The South Korean Unification Ministry on Tuesday announced that it received a reply from the North, which argued that there is no need to hold an in-person meeting on the matter.
The ministry explained that Pyongyang insisted on discussing the issue by exchanging documents rather than holding in-person talks.
Seoul on Monday had proposed talks with Pyongyang after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un instructed his officials to remove all South Korean facilities at the resort.
Located at scenic Mount Geumgang on North Korea's eastern coast, the resort was once a popular tourist destination for South Koreans until 2008 when a tourist from the South was fatally shot after entering an off-limits military area adjacent to the resort.
Following North Korea's refusal to meet, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul on Thursday met with the heads of the South Korean operators of the suspended tour program -- Hyundai Asan and the state-run Korean Tourism Organization -- to discuss North Korea's demand.
At the meeting, Kim said the government and the involved parties should share information and gather wisdom to jointly seek a resolution as they face a grave situation.
Hyundai Asan dismissed Pyongyang's offer to discuss the matter in writing, adding it would have to visit the resort before deciding on the removal of facilities.