Gaeseong tours could be suspended

Posted on : 2008-07-19 12:34 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Without joint investigation into Geumgang shooting, S. Korea will get tough on North
 the South Korean government says it is considering suspending tours to Gaeseong until safety guarantees are put into place.
the South Korean government says it is considering suspending tours to Gaeseong until safety guarantees are put into place.

The government will consider suspending tours to Gaeseong (Kaesong) if North Korea does not ensure the safety of South Korean tourists, referencing the recent shooting death of a female tourist from the South at Mount Geumgang (Kumgang).

Participants in a meeting of the National Security Council on July 18 presided over by President Lee Myung-bak agreed that poor safety measures taken by tour operator Hyundai Asan should be completely checked, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Dong-kwan. Hyundai Asan was very late in reporting on the incident and continued the tour even after the shooting occurred, the spokesman added. It was the first time that Lee has convened an NSC meeting since he took office.

“It is important to clear up suspicions about the shooting incident and take measures to prevent a recurrence of the shooting. Before tours to Mount Geumgang can resume, Seoul and Pyongyang should first reach an agreement after having discussion,” Lee said.

If the government actually suspends civilian tours to Gaeseong, the North is expected to protest fiercely against the measure. North Korea has been quiet about the matter since North Korea’s Guidance Bureau for Comprehensive Development of Scenic Spots issued a statement on July 12.

A researcher at a state-funded research institute who asked to remain anonymous expressed the concern that the North could launch a counter-offensive by limiting travel by South Korean workers to and from the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. In this case, inter-Korean relations could worsen, the researcher added.

At the NSC meeting, the government linked resumption of inter-Korean dialogue with resolution of the Geumgang shooting. President Lee urged North Korea to engage in discussion and move toward an agreement, ensure the safety of South Korean tourists, form a joint committee on travel by South Korean tourists, and allow South Korean officials to stay in North Korea to protect South Korea people, saying that these things must be in place before tours are allowed to resume.

Such a position is quite different from the one taken by Lee on July 11, when he said in a speech at the National Assembly that South and North should resume the inter-Korean dialogue under any circumstances. His new stance is expected to become a barrier to restoration of inter-Korean relations and swift resolution of the Geumgang shooting.

A problem is whether the government’s suspension of tours to Gaeseong will be an effective means of pressing North Korea into action. Kim Yeon-cheol, the director of the Hankyoreh Peace Research Institute, said, “The North won’t be embarrassed by economic pressure from the South because its channels to the international community, including the U.S. and China, have been opened due to progress in the recent round of six-party talks. The South’s having suspended tours to Gaeseong will not be an effective means of pressuring the North.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

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