ONGOING TENSIONS OVER MT.KUMGANG RESORT

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It has been three weeks since North Korea demanded the South to remove its tourist facilities at Mount Kumgang resort. For the first time, Seoul's unification minister Kim Yeon-chul suggested the government sent Pyongyang a notice, acknowledging the need to tear down and restore some aged facilities. But he explained that the North remains adamant that all South Korean facilities must be removed from the resort.

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On November 11, North Korea sent an ultimatum demanding Seoul remove South Korean facilities from the Mount Kumgang resort. Pyongyang warned that it will unilaterally remove the facilities if the South continues to make pointless arguments. Three weeks have passed since the warning was given. Seoul's unification minister Kim Yeon-chul mentioned for the first time the need to repair aged facilities, taking the example of some 340 abandoned container homes, which had been used as temporary accommodations during the operations of South Korean tours to the mountain resort. The minister said that businesses involved also agreed on the stance. Kim suggested the government had already sent the notice to North Korea.

[Soundbite] KIM YEON-CHUL(UNIFICATION MINISTER) : "North Korea can interpret the measures regarding abandoned facilities as removal."

Although the expression "removal" was not used directly, the notice can be interpreted as Seoul's willingness to partly accept the North's demand. Kim said that Seoul also proposed holding inter-Korean talks to discuss the joint development of a special tourism zone on the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, including Mount Kumgang.

[Soundbite] KIM YEON-CHUL(UNIFICATION MINISTER) : "In inter-Korean relations, it has been a long-cherished goal to connect North Korea's Kumgang area and South Korea's Seorak region and develop them together."

However, he added that North Korea is adamant in demanding the complete removal of South Korean facilities, while refusing to hold a face-to-face meeting. Despite Seoul's apparent partial concession, North Korea is rejecting all proposals and offers delivered by South Korea.