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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| N. Korea allows resumption of inter-Korean tourism projects |
| 2009-08-18 |
| [Kyodo: Korea] North Korea and South Korea's Hyundai Group have agreed on a set of measures aimed at improving bilateral ties including resumption of inter-Korean tourism projects and a reunion of separated families from the North and the South, the North's state media said Monday. The agreement was announced in a joint press release between the Hyundai Group and North Korea's Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles inter-Korean business ties, that was made public Monday, a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Il met with Hyundai chairwoman Hyun Jung Eun in Pyongyang, according to the Korean Central News Agency. In Seoul, Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae Sung said the agreement is ''positive'' but needs official approval for the agreement to be implemented. ''The government positively views Hyundai Group's joint statement with North Korea, but it is at the non-governmental level,'' Chun told a press briefing. ''The governments of South and North Korea need to work out a concrete agreement through dialogue for this agreement to be realized,'' Chun said. The measures, if implemented, would mark the transition of inter-Korean relations, which have soured since South Korean President Lee Myung Bak took office in February last year, to a recovery phase. The measures still need to be approved by the South Korean government. Through resumption of bilateral economic cooperation projects, it is believed that North Korea will urge Lee to alter his hard-line policy toward North Korea and show the United States that Pyongyang has moved to improve relations with the South, which former U.S. President Bill Clinton requested during talks with Kim earlier this month in a surprise visit to Pyongyang. ''Both sides expressed will to improve the North-South relations and further develop cooperation for the common prosperity of the nation under the historic June 15 joint declaration (of 2000) and the October 4 declaration (of 2007),'' the press release said, in yet another sign of rapprochement with the outside world. According to the release, the two sides agreed to resume the suspended tourism of the North's Mt. Kumgang resort and also of the North's border town of Kaesong soon. It was also decided to hold a reunion of separated families and relatives from the North and the South in Mt. Kumgang on Oct. 3 this year. The reunion project has been suspended since October 2007. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Quick make sure more hostages ar availible anytime we need some. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-08-18 12:17 |