By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
South Korea will begin to normalize inter-Korean border-crossings today, following accordance North Korea's lifting of a passage ban, Aug. 20, the Ministry of Unification said Monday.
However, it will take more time to resume tour programs to the North, industry sources said.
``The government plans to normalize the border-crossings from Sept. 1,'' ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung told reporters.
The secretive state implemented the restriction on Dec. 1 last year in retaliation for the Lee Myung-bak administration's tougher stance toward its regime.
Previously, South Koreans were allowed to cross into the North Korean city of Gaeseong three times a day and were prohibited from touring the city.
``Now, South Koreans can depart for and return from Gaeseong 12 times and 11 times a day, respectively,'' the spokesman said. ``In addition, the limit on the number of people and vehicles will be lifted.''
But tourist trips to the area are still banned.
``The government has yet to review the resumption of the tour program,'' Chun said. ``As you know, a South Korean employee was detained for about 130 days there, so we believe it is necessary to consider safety concerns.''
Yu Seong-jin, a 44-year-old Hyundai Group worker at the joint Gaeseong Industrial Complex, was arrested on March 30 for allegedly slandering the North Korean regime and attempting to entice a female worker to defect to the South.
South Korean officials and lawyers were refused access to him, but he was finally set free Aug. 13 in the wake of Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jung-eun's visit to the communist state from Aug. 10 to Aug. 17.
It also remains uncertain when tours to the Mt. Geumgang resort will be resumed.
``We will take necessary measures, aimed at the normalization of tours to the area,'' the spokesman said. ``We will consult with companies concerned and North Korean authorities to decide on specific numbers.''
The tour program to the scenic mountain has been suspended since July last year after a South Korean female tourist was shot dead by a North Korea soldier during a pre-dawn stroll. She is believed to have strayed into a restricted military zone.
The North refused to allow a joint on-site investigation and thus, it still remains unclear what happened to the victim.