South Korea hopes to resume inter-Korean tourism program

The South Korean government hopes that resuming the Mount Kumgang tour program and expanding it to Wonsan-Kalma beach will open up new cooperation space and create momentum for people-to-people exchanges between the two Koreas.

South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed hope on September 22 that inter-Korean tours to Mount Kumgang could be resumed and expanded to North Korea's newly developed Wonsan-Kalma beach resort.

According to VNA reporter in Seoul, Mr. Chung Dong Young made the above statement during a meeting with Ms. Hyun Jeong Eun, Chairwoman of Hyundai Group, the parent company of Hyundai Asan, which operates tours to the Kumgang Mountain resort in North Korea.

This once-popular tour program was abruptly halted in July 2008 after a South Korean tourist died after entering a restricted military area.

According to Mr. Chung, Hyundai Group is eager to resume this tourism program and expand tours from Mount Kumgang to the Wonsan-Kalma region, where North Korea has developed very strongly in recent times.

Also at the meeting, Hyundai Asan CEO Lee Paik Hoon said the company is ready to open tours to North Korean beaches at any time.

Wonsan is a popular tourist destination for many Korean tourists. Hyundai Asan currently has passenger ferries available to this destination.

Meanwhile, North Korea opened the Kalma beach resort in the eastern coastal city of Wonsan in early July to attract foreign tourists. However, South Korean tourists are still banned from visiting the beach./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/han-quoc-hy-vong-noi-lai-chuong-trinh-du-lich-lien-trieu-post1063324.vnp