By Kim Bo-eun
South and North Korean officials inspected the extent of disease and pests on Mount Geumgang in the North, Wednesday.
Twelve South Korean officials headed by a senior official of the Korea Forest Service (KFS) visited the North for a one-day inspection and discussed pest control plans.
Pyongyang is reportedly considering control measures for the pine forests in the Mount Geumgang area, where pests are infecting the trees.
The Koreas will decide what kind of chemicals will be needed, and Seoul will provide the necessary products. The government's stance is that it will cover the expenses while abiding with sanctions imposed on the North.
This is a follow-up to inter-Korean working-level talks on forestry cooperation which mainly involves reforestation in the North.
The South spent around 100 million won ($89,400) on forest disease and pest control measures in the Mount Geumgang area in September 2015. This was a civilian effort, a unification ministry official said.
South Korea is discussing all inter-Korean projects with the UN Security Council and individual states that have imposed sanctions on the North, she added.
The South and North held a series of working-level talks in June and July on connecting rail and road networks, and forestry cooperation.