Seoul Considering Subsidizing Mt. Geumgang Tours
2003-09-05
The government is actively considering re-subsidizing Mt. Geumgang tourism which stopped at the protest of the opposition party after the North Korean nuclear crisis, Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun said on Thursday (Sept. 4).
In a briefing with reporters, Jeong attributed the decision to eased tensions regarding the North Korean nuclear program after the recent six-way talks in Beijing.
“We plan to lodge an official request for discussion on the issue at the next regular National Assembly session,” Jeong said in a briefing on Thursday.
The flagship inter-Korean enterprise under Hyundai-Asan has been struggling financially, and is deemed one of the reasons its chairman, Chung Mong-hun, committed suicide on Aug. 4.
“We were planning to discuss the subsidy issue if there was progress on the nuclear issue,” added Jeong, Seoul's top negotiator with Pyongyang.
“With the start of the six-way talks, experts as well as the governments involved hold largely optimistic outlooks for upcoming talks, so we think the situation is improving.”
Regarding the North Korean rhetoric after the Aug. 27-29 talks, which ranged from a threat to expand its nuclear arsenal to hints that it may not appear for the next round of talks, Jeong said the North should be understood within the context of the talks.
“If they weren't interested in talks, there wouldn't be any need to say that and other things,” he said.
“That North Korea is sending conflicting messages seems to be in line with their pressure strategy leading to the next six-way talks,” Jeong said, pointing out a Sept. 2 statement from Pyongyang's state-run media expressed a strong wish to continue dialogue.
He commented positively on the North's new premier Pak Pong-ju, who assumed the post at the first session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly Wednesday.
Source : www.korea.net
