South Koreans Make First Tour of P'yang
2003-09-17
A group of South Korean tourists on Monday (Sept. 15) touched down in Pyongyang, marking the first time that ordinary South Koreans have visited the North's capital on a commercial tour since the peninsula was divided 55 years ago.
The landmark tour party, comprising of 150 overseas Koreans and South Korean citizens, arrived at Sunan Airport on a chartered flight with North Korean flag carrier Koryo Air, according to Pyeonghwa Air Travel Agency.
The sightseeing visit comes after the Ministry of Unification last month approved Pyeonghwa's request to operate the South-North economic cooperation project.
The travel agency, funded by the Unification Church of Rev. Moon Sun-myung, got approval from the North for the package tours in July, heralding a new chapter in inter-Korean civilian exchanges.
The trip is the first of 20 package tours planned for this year and expected to take a total of 2,000 South Koreans to the North.
The opening of the North to Southern tourists is widely viewed as a meaningful step, likely strengthening Pyeonghwa's hand in pushing for the expansion of its tourism business to other parts of the communist country.
Hyundai Asan, which has exclusive rights for tours to the North, has offered tours to Mt. Geumgang as part of its inter-Korean business. However, the death of Hyundai Asan chairman Chung Mong-hun, a pioneer of the inter-Korean business, has thrown cold water on its projects.
Pyeonghwa's tour costs around 2.2 million won ($1,830) per person.
Travelers on Monday visited Mangyongdae School Children's Palace, a huge cultural education center for students.
Tuesday's schedule includes visiting the tomb of King Tongmyeong, a founding father of ancient Goguryeo Kingdom, located 25 kilometers south of the North Korean capital.
Source : www.korea.net
