Satellite images confirm N. Korea's demolition of inter-Korean reunion center

Inter-Korean family reunion center in North Korea’s Mount Geumgang tourist area / Yonhap

North Korea has been steadily dismantling a crucial inter-Korean facility in the Mount Geumgang tourist zone for more than six months, with recent satellite images confirming the removal of rooftop structures from a family reunion center, a site once symbolic of cross-border reconciliation for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

According to a report by 38 North, a U.S.-based North Korea monitoring site, high-resolution satellite images taken on July 5 reveal that rooftop structures at the reunion center have been dismantled, exposing the building’s interior. The facility’s demolition appears to have been underway since late last year.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry said in February that North Korea had begun tearing down the upper floors of the 12-story building, including its observatory and exterior tiles.

Other civilian-run structures in the area, such as the golf resort clubhouse and spa, have already been completely demolished. Satellite images clearly show that only the foundations of these buildings remain.

Although the demolition is progressing, 38 North noted that the gradual pace indicates it is not considered a top national priority by Pyongyang.

The reunion center, a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation, was constructed following an agreement during the fifth round of Red Cross talks between the two Koreas in November 2003. Groundbreaking took place in August 2005, and the facility was completed in July 2008 at a cost of approximately 55 billion won (about $40 million). It hosted five rounds of family reunions for relatives separated by the Korean War.

The Mount Geumgang tourism zone has been under North Korean control since tours were suspended in 2008 after a South Korean tourist was fatally shot by a North Korean soldier. In October 2019, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the area and ordered the removal of what he described as “shabby South Korean facilities,” sparking a phased demolition of all structures built or managed by the South.

Once the reunion center is fully removed, all remaining South Korean facilities in the tourism zone will be gone.