The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, August 9, 2022 | 16:58
-------------------------
Visitors Often Encountered N. Korean Soldiers
Posted : 2008-07-14 19:06
Updated : 2008-07-14 19:06
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
By Michael Ha
Staff Reporter

The incident last Friday at the Mount Geumgang resort marked the first time that a tourist has been shot and killed by a North Korean soldier. But there have been other cases in the past where visitors straying into the off-limits area encountered North Korean soldiers.

Some tourists who have visited the resort are now recounting their own stories in news reports. Some recalled how they had wandered into restricted military areas outside the government-sanctioned resort and were detained by North Korean soldiers.

The resort is located on the East Coast a few kilometers north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Some reports suggested that Hyundai Asan, a subsidiary of the Hyundai conglomerate which operates tourism there, did not take sufficient precautionary measures and that the company deserved at least some blame for the shooting death of Park Wang-ja last Friday.

One of the tourists who ran into North Korean soldiers at the resort is Kim Hong-seul, a South Korean pastor. He visited Mount Geumgang with fellow church members last year. He recalled how he encountered North Korean soldiers at an off-limits, restricted area, near the spot where the shooting incident occurred.

According to a local newspaper, the tourist took a walk by the beach at around 10 p.m., unaware that he was crossing into poorly marked North Korean military zone. He soon heard loud shouts from North Korean soldiers ordering him to stop. He was detained for 20 minutes and was later released and sent back to the resort by a North Korean military officer.

``Now that I think back, it was really a dire moment. That encounter could have turned out very differently. It could have been much worse. I could have been shot and killed like Park," he said.

The pastor also noted that when he told others at the resort hotel about the encounter, he got a surprising response from one of the listeners. He recalled that one person, who identified himself as a South Korean intelligence official, replied: ``that happens frequently here.''

``You are lucky that the North Korean soldiers let you go so soon. Some tourists get detained for three, four hours,'' the official reportedly remarked.

Another Korean newspaper reported on a story of a tourist who accidentally wandered into the restricted territory when he visited the resort last May.

The tourist, a government employee from South Chungcheong Province, went for a run along the beach area early in the morning. He was reportedly unaware that he had entered a restricted military area.

The tourist was detained by North Korean guards and was later sent back to the resort, with a warning not to cross into the restricted area again.

michaelha@koreatimes.co.kr
 
LG
  • [ANALYSIS] Why Beijing won't retaliate against Seoul for 'Chip 4'
  • Surging costs of living push people to take side jobs
  • Retailers wage war with fried chicken amid soaring inflation
  • Gov't to increase quota for migrant workers
  • Education minister resigns after just over a month in office
  • Ruling party's self-inflicted crisis
  • Foreign ministers of South Korea and China to meet to address thorny issues
  • Family succession at major conglomerates put on hold due to lackluster IPO market
  • Ethereum founder expects crypto payments to become prevalent soon
  • Yoon vows to go back to basics amid low approval ratings
  • Interactive News
  • With tough love,
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • A tale of natural wine
    • OTT platforms struggle amid declining number of users OTT platforms struggle amid declining number of users
    • 'Baby Shark' feature film to premiere on Paramount+ next year 'Baby Shark' feature film to premiere on Paramount+ next year
    • [INTERVIEW] Leandro Erlich's questioning of our perception of reality carries new meaning in pandemic [INTERVIEW] Leandro Erlich's questioning of our perception of reality carries new meaning in pandemic
    • Netflix's 'Narco-Saints' to be released Sept. 9 Netflix's 'Narco-Saints' to be released Sept. 9
    • BLACKPINK to start world tour in October BLACKPINK to start world tour in October
    DARKROOM
    • Ice is melting, land is burning

      Ice is melting, land is burning

    • Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

      Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

    • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

      Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

    • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

      Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

      Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    The Korea Times
    CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
    Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
    Tel : 02-724-2114
    Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
    Date of registration : 2020.02.05
    Masthead : The Korea Times
    Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
    • About Us
    • Introduction
    • History
    • Location
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
    • Products & Service
    • Subscribe
    • E-paper
    • Mobile Service
    • RSS Service
    • Content Sales
    • Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
    • 고충처리인
    • Youth Protection Policy
    • Code of Ethics
    • Copyright Policy
    • Family Site
    • Hankook Ilbo
    • Dongwha Group