Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| A new resort in NK Yonhap |
By Do Je-hae
The government is pushing to start individual tours to North Korea in an attempt to improve inter-Korean relations, but questions are rising about their feasibility due to a disagreement with the U.S. and noncooperation from Pyongyang.
President Moon Jae-in has emphasized the need to expand cooperation between the two Koreas this year, irrespective of the stalemate in the North Korea-U.S. denuclearization talks. "In addition to efforts to promote the success of the dialogue, the need to find realistic ways to further advance inter-Korean cooperation has become all the more urgent," Moon said in his Jan. 7 New Year speech.
During a press conference Tuesday, Moon highlighted the start of "individual tours" as one of the ways to start improving inter-Korea ties. The President's remark has raised expectations that tours to Mount Geumgang in the North, which have been suspended since 2008, may resume. The unification ministry also mentioned visits to North Korean hometowns by South Koreans who were separated from their family members during the 1950-53 Korean War.
Moon emphasized that individual tours do not violate global sanctions against North Korea. Currently, countries such as China and Australia allow their citizens to travel to North Korea through travel agencies. And as such, the individual tours the government is pursuing would be different from the kind of large-scale package tours managed by the state or a conglomerate such as Hyundai Asan.
Korea's key diplomats, including Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and top nuclear envoy Lee Do-hoon, have made consecutive visits to the U.S. this week to discuss a range of bilateral issues. Lee, who arrived in Washington, D.C., Wednesday (local time) for a meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, told reporters at Dulles International Airport that he plans to discuss the issue of individual tours to North Korea. "They are not banned under the U.N. sanctions. It is important to engage in frank discussions and seek mutual understanding (with the U.S.)."
One of the biggest hurdles, however, will be to convince the U.S., which has continued to stress the need for sanctions after Moon's pro-engagement speech last week. According a recent Voice of America report, the State Department recently reiterated the importance of U.N. Security Council sanctions. "All U.N. member states are required to implement U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions, and we expect them all to continue doing so," said an official from the department.
 |
| A new resort in NK Yonhap |
Such remarks seem to suggest that Washington may not agree with Moon's recent call for the restarting of inter-Korean projects, such as Mount Geumgang tourism, the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and the linking of railways and roads.
Another big hurdle to Moon's proposal is the lack of any response from North Korea.
"Exploring individual South Korean's visits makes sense as an effort to open the door to further inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation. North Korea wants to grow its tourism sector and Seoul is concerned about the fate of facilities at Mount Geumgang. But the largest obstacle is actually Pyongyang. Individual South Korean tourists may not represent a large enough carrot to make North Korea bite," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.
Under these circumstances, some analysts raised doubts about the feasibility of the tourism suggestion. "With the clock ticking on this presidency, it seems Moon made the suggestion out of desperation to show results. The suggestion is unrealistic and is bound to face opposition domestically and internationally," a North Korean studies expert said on condition of anonymity.
In addition, there are details that need to be ironed out with the North, such as visas for South Korean tourists ― but given that Pyongyang has refused any kind of dialogue with Seoul, there are few prospects for the two Koreas to start negotiations any time soon.
 |
| A new resort in NK Yonhap |
Another question is whether South Koreans will consider traveling to a country that has become infamous for incidents such as the death of a U.S. college student in 2017, which underlined North Korea's harsh treatment of outsiders. Pyongyang has still not apologized for the shooting death of a South Korean tourist at Mount Geumgang at the hands of a North Korean soldier in 2008 or mention how it will prevent any recurrence.
There is also the problem of adjusting domestic regulations regarding individual visiting North Korea. Currently, South Korean nationals cannot travel to North Korea without getting approval from the Ministry of Unification.
