Chinese Agencies Sell Tour Programs to NKs Mt Geumgang

Chinese travel agencies are selling tour programs to North Korea's Mount Kumgang amid Pyongyang's announcement that it will find a new partner in retaliation for Seoul's reluctance to resume cross-border tours, Yonhap News reported in Beijing Sunday.

Two Chinese agencies in the city of Tongcheng and the southern province of Guangdong are taking reservations for tour programs that include the scenic mountain and other sights, including Pyongyang, the ancient city of Kaesong and the border with South Korea, Yonhap quoted tourism sources in the Chinese capital saying.

However, it was unclear if the programs are related to the North Korea's decision last week to dump South Korea's Hyundai Asan for an unidentified new partner for the mountain tours, the news agency said. The link appears to be weak, as the Chinese programs had been under preparation before Pyongyang's announcement last week, it added.