Controversy over Maintaining the Mt. Geumgang Tour

The Grand National Party (GNP) called for the suspension of the Mt. Geumgang tour project unless North Korea makes an apology as the relations between South and North Korea has rapidly frozen for its provocative act in the West Sea.

Lee Hoi-chang, the GNP presidential candidate said at a press conference on the 30th, "If North Korea does not make explanation and apology for the North`s naval incursion, or a promise for an end to such provocation."

Lee added, "The government should not have approved the departure of tourists for Mt Geumgang under this unpredictable situation.

Yoo Woon-young, acting spokesman of the splinter United Liberal Democrats (ULD) expressed a same view, saying, "The government should take the North`s provocation as an opportunity to thoroughly review its North Korea policy and business projects including the engagement policy.

But Han Hwa-gap, the chairman of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) said, "The national security should be strengthened so that North Korea cannot repeat such a provocation. But the inter-Korean exchange and cooperative projects should not be halted. Even when North Korea intruded the South Korean waters in 1999, the Mt. Geumgang tour project continued."

Lee Nak-yeon, the MDP spokesman said in a statement, "If the government halts the Mt. Geumgang tour project, the tension and insecurity on the peninsula might look greater than what it really is. And that will not be of any help for us."

Government officials and North Korea experts have different opinions on the matter.

Song Young-dae, former deputy minister of the Reunification Ministry said, "For now, it is difficult to take military action. Thus the government should step up the collaboration with its allies centered on the US. and come up with economic sanctions against North Korea such as the suspension of the Mt. Geumgang tour project." He added, "The economic exchanges carried out in the private sector need also be stopped on a temporary basis."

But Chun Hyun-jun, researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), said, "We realize the significance of maintaining peace on the Korean peninsula when this incident occurs. Long-term confidence building in the political and military areas, can only be made possible through private sector cooperation and tourism exchange between the two Koreans.

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