By The North Koreans have been whinging about the Mt. Kumgang tours for months and this recent whinging is probably a sign that they can’t find anyone else willing to take over the tour operation. Considering the fact that the North Koreans find it perfectly acceptable to shoot tourists is it any surprise no one wants to do business with them?
North Korea is losing patience with South Korea because of its refusal to send tourists to the Mount Kumgang resort and threatened to completely sever its business relationship with Hyundai Asan, the South Korean contractor for cross-border tours.
A statement from the North’s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee informed Hyundai that North Korea would retract the company’s monopoly over the tours, which was supposed to be valid for 30 years, or until 2028. The Asia-Pacific Peace Committee is a state organ that oversees inter-Korean affairs.
A Seoul official said yesterday that the North should withdraw its threat “immediately.”
“We have sent the South countless requests for the resumption of cross-border tours and offered fair and constructive measures in regard to the South’s position,” the Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in the statement. “We waited as long as we could for the past three years. There is no hope that Mount Kumgang tourism will be restarted.” [Joong Ang Ilbo]
You can read the rest at the link, but I did find it interesting that the Chinese agreed with the South Koreans that they would not take up any tour operations at Mt. Kumgang.
10:06 pm on April 10th, 2011 1
"I did find it interesting that the Chinese agreed with the South Koreans that they would not take up any tour operations at Mt. Kumgang."
Yeah, I read that this morning. North Korea is so screwed.
2:51 am on April 11th, 2011 2
Q: How is a South Korean tourist like your Filipina juicy?
A: If you give them a couple of shots, they will go down on you.
5:25 am on April 11th, 2011 3
Leon,
Go back and read the North Korean tourism strategy memo.
South Korean tourists took up at least two of their bullet points.
9:28 am on April 11th, 2011 4
The NK’s sound like such charming hosts…”Come see our beautiful country or we will cut off all contact with you.”
10:46 am on April 11th, 2011 5
Would it be fair to say the North Koreans are targeting South Korean tourists?
2:27 pm on April 11th, 2011 6
I learned a new word. “Whinging” is not one of GI Korea’s misspellings. I don’t know why I’ve never encountered it before. Closer to the topic, Tom and I agree: the solution to the Korean problem is the the ROK should annex the DPRK.
8:51 am on April 12th, 2011 7
If it had been just a mistake by an overzealous guard then it would have been simple for KJI to admit it was a mistake and relieve that guard of his job, and then probably his life.
All of this grandstanding proves that it was a planned "pushing of the buttons" by KJI, especially since it involved Hyundai- LMB's old stomping grounds.
KJI rolled snake eyes on this one, eh?