Seoul okays N.K. visits selectively, citing safety concerns

By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) -- The government approved Wednesday only two of nine
requests submitted this week to visit North Korea for humanitarian and other
projects, citing safety concerns stemming from the detention of several South
Koreans by Pyongyang.

The Unification Ministry authorized representatives from Gyeongam, a foundation
run by bed manufacturer AceBed Co., and Korean Sharing Movement, a civic group,
to visit North Korea, officials said. Seven other applications were rejected,
they said.
Seoul has been selective in approving private groups' travel to North Korea after
Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket and conducted its second nuclear test over
the past months. Inter-Korean relations had also chilled after the conservative
Lee Myung-bak government took office early last year.
"The selective approval policy will not change for the time being," a ministry
official said, adding full opening to the North is unlikely unless Pyongyang
guarantees the safety of visiting South Koreans.
Safety concerns were amplified last year when a South Korean tourist was shot and
killed by a North Korean soldier. In addition, a Hyundai Asan worker had been
detained from March until his release earlier this month, and four fishermen and
their boat are still being held in North Korea after straying across the
inter-Korean maritime border.
"Even if North Korea released the detained worker and plans to send back the
fishermen and the boat, that would only be bringing an unusual situation back to
normal," the official said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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