Seoul has stressed that guaranteeing the safety of tourists to Mount Geumgang is a matter that must be discussed between government officials of the two Koreas.
 
Unification Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Park Soo-jin told reporters on Monday that the government believes that substantial and institutional devices need to be established to guarantee the safety of South Koreans visiting the scenic mountain resort.
 
Park said in order to resume tours to Mount Geumgang, conditions allowing normal tour operations must be established and the property rights of South Korean firms taking part in the tour program must be guaranteed.
 
Park’s comments came after the North’s propaganda Web site “Uriminzokkiri” claimed on Sunday that the entire world knows that the North promised the utmost guarantee of tourists’ safety when Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun visited Pyongyang in 2009.