N. Korea allows resumption of inter-Korean business projects: KCNA

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, background throughout)
SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea Monday agreed to resume inter-Korean
tourism projects and facilitate operation of the joint industrial park in the
North's border town of Kaesong, the North's official Korean Central News Agency
said.
In a joint press release between South Korea's Hyundai Group and North Korea's
Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles inter-Korean business ties, the
sides also "decided to provide reunion of separated families and relatives from
the North and the South in Mt. Kumgang on the day of Chusok (harvest moon day), a
folk holiday of the Korean nation, this year."
The agreement comes one day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il met with
Hyundai chairwoman Hyun Jung-eun in Pyongyang Sunday in another gesture of
rapprochement between the North and the outside world after his meeting with
former U.S. President Bill Clinton earlier this month.
The inter-Korean tour programs to the scenic Mount Kumgang on the North's east
coast and the medieval capital city of Kaesong have been suspended since last
summer when North Korea shot dead a female South Korean tourist at the Kumgang
resort when she reportedly strayed into a military zone.
"It was decided to resume the suspended tours to Mt. Kumgang as soon as possible
and launch the tour of Pirobong, the highest peak on the mountain," the release
said. "It was also decided to resume tours of Kaesong soon and to energize the
operations of the Kaesong Industrial Zone as the land passage through the MDL
(Military Demarcation Line) is put on a normal basis."
The release also noted the possible launch of another tour project to the North's
Mount Paekdu, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, "in accordance with the
progress of its (Hyundai's) preparations."
To facilitate operations of the tour and the industrial park projects, the North
agreed to "restore land passage of the south side's personnel through the
Military Demarcation Line and their stay in the north side's area as they were
according to the spirit of the historic October 4 Declaration."
The October agreement was signed in 2007 between the two Koreas during the
administration of the South's late former President Roh Moo-hyun to foster
inter-Korean cooperation. It followed an earlier June 15 Joint Declaration signed
in 2000 between the North and Roh's predecessor, Kim Dae-jung.
"Both sides expressed willingness to improve north-south relations and further
develop cooperation for the common prosperity of the nation under the historic
June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration," the release said.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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