The Unification Ministry has approved a request by Hyundai Asan and its subcontractors to visit North Korea. 
 
A ministry official told reporters on Tuesday that eight Hyundai Asan representatives and six representatives of its subcontracting companies will visit the North on Wednesday and Thursday to inspect facilities at Mount Geumgang ahead of the monsoon season.
 
According to the ministry official, the last time such inspections were carried out was in 2011.
 
The official said that the upcoming visit is unrelated with resuming tours to Mount Geumgang.