Latest news with #UnificationMinistry
UPI
2 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Seoul asks North Korea for advance notice of dam release
A visitor looks through binoculars across the Imjin River to North Korea in a photo from 2021. South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday asked the North to give advance notice before releasing water from a dam across the river. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo SEOUL, June 27 (UPI) -- South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday asked North Korea to give advance notice before releasing water from a dam across the border on the Imjin River, citing safety concerns for residents living in nearby areas. "We request that North Korea notify us in advance of dam discharges to prevent flood damage in the border area during the rainy season on humanitarian grounds," ministry spokeswoman Chang Yoon-jeong said at a press briefing. "Joint response to natural disasters is a humanitarian issue, and the South and North have agreed several times to cooperate to prevent flooding in the Imjin River." Chang said that the dam issue is directly related to the life and safety of residents in border areas. She noted that an unannounced discharge from the North's Hwanggang Dam in September 2009 led to damage that killed six South Korean citizens. The following month, North Korea agreed to provide prior notice before discharging water. Pyongyang sent notices on a handful of occasions in 2010 and 2013, but has not done so since. The North cut off communications with the South in April 2023, and Chang said sending a message through a press briefing was a form of "indirect communication." Recently elected President Lee Jae-myung has said he aims to improve frayed inter-Korean relations. On Wednesday, he called for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula as both countries commemorated the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. "The most certain form of security is a state where there is no need to fight -- in other words, creating peace," he wrote in a social media post. "The era of relying solely on military power to protect the country is over. What matters more than winning a war is preventing one." He has vowed to restore a military pact aimed at defusing military tensions along the border and reestablish a communications hotline with Seoul's recalcitrant neighbor. Earlier this month, Lee ordered the suspension of propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts across the DMZ to North Korea in a bid to reduce tensions with Pyongyang. While requesting advance notice on Friday, the ministry did not mention the North's most recent suspected dam discharge. Seoul's Environment Ministry warned Wednesday that the water level near Pilseung Bridge on the Imjin River, just south of the inter-Korean border, had risen to 3.2 feet -- the threshold for evacuating visitors in the area. The ministry said it believed the result was due to a discharge from the Hwanggang Dam. As of Friday morning at 8 a.m., the water level at Pilseung Bridge stood at 2.5 feet, the Unification Ministry's Chang said.
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
North Korea eyeing Russian tourists for new beach resort: Seoul
North Korean leader Kim Jong-y-un (left) and his daughter Kim Ju-ae (front right) visiting the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in Kangwon Province, North Korea.- AFP SEOUL: North Korea is expected to court Russian tourists following the completion of its Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, which is set to open first to domestic travellers in July, South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Thursday (June 26). It noted that construction – which was suspended for an extended period – resumed in 2024, possibly with support from Russia and expectation of attracting Russian tourists. North Korean state media reported on June 26 on the completion ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort. It was held on June 25 and attended by leader Kim Jong Un and family members. The resort is set to open to domestic visitors on July 1, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. It reported that the tourist zone is 'equipped with hotels and inns capable of accommodating around 20,000 people, allowing domestic and international visitors to choose accommodations that suit their preferences' in a Korean-language report. The Russian ambassador to North Korea and embassy members were invited as special guests, according to the state media report. A Unification Ministry official said on condition of anonymity during a closed-door briefing: 'Operations are expected to gradually expand to include Russian tourists, beginning with domestic tourism on July 1. 'The fact that the Russian ambassador was invited and highlighted (in the state media report) also appears to have been intended with Russian tourists in mind.' The official added: 'North Korea has regarded tourism as very important while recognising it as a key means of earning foreign currency. 'Tourism itself is not a violation of sanctions. However, tourism operations that involve bulk cash transfers or are conducted in the form of cooperative projects or joint ventures with North Korea could constitute a violation of sanctions.' 'On the other hand, individual tourists paying their own expenses on a cost-reimbursement basis would not be considered a sanctions violation,' the official said. UN Security Council Resolution 2270 prohibits the transfer of bulk cash to North Korea, and Resolution 2375 bans all UN member states from creating any new joint ventures with North Korean entities or individuals. North Korea's decision to resume years-long construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone in 2024 could be related to a closer alignment with Russia during the country's grinding war against Ukraine. 'Since North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war, it is believed that the country has received various forms of material support from Russia – support that may have contributed economically to the completion of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone,' the official said. 'Additionally, there is a possibility that North Korea will actively seek to attract Russian tourists, which could explain the renewed push to promote the project.' North Korea initially designated the area along the coast connecting Wonsan and Mount Kumgang as a tourist zone in 2014. KCNA previously reported that a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsan region took place in May 2015. North Korea originally set a goal of completing the tourist zone by April 15, 2019 to mark the birth anniversary of the country's late founder Kim Il Sung. However, the project was repeatedly delayed due to difficulties in securing construction materials under international sanctions. Construction was halted following the outbreak of Covid-19 and remained suspended until 2024. The official, however, underscored that Seoul needs to watch how much tourism in the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone can actually be realised 'due to various limitations in transportation infrastructure'. Based on the number of flights and the size of aircraft operating between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, the maximum number of people who could travel via Pyongyang to the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone in a single day would be around 170. The official also explained that there has been no progress in resuming Chinese group tours, which were suspended after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020. - The Korea Herald/ANN
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
North Korea targets Russian tourists for new Wonsan beach resort: Seoul
The resort is set to open to domestic visitors on July 1, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said. PHOTO: EPA-EFE SEOUL - North Korea is expected to court Russian tourists following the official completion of its Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, which is set to open first to domestic travelers in July, South Korea's Unification Ministry said on June 26 . The ministry also noted that construction — which had been suspended for an extended period — resumed in 2024 , possibly with material support from Russia and the expectation of attracting Russian tourists. North Korean state media reported on June 26 on the completion ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort, held on June 25 and attended by leader Kim Jong-un, his wife Ri Sol-ju, their daughter, widely believed to be Kim Ju-ae, and his sister Kim Yo-jong. Ms Ri made her first public appearance since attending a New Year's Day music concert in 2024. The resort is set to open to domestic visitors on July 1, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said. KCNA reported, 'The tourist zone equipped with hotels and inns capable of accommodating around 20,000 people, allowing domestic and international visitors to choose accommodations that suit their preferences' in a Korean language report. Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexandr Matsegora and his embassy members were invited as special guests, according to the state media report. 'Operations are expected to gradually expand to include Russian tourists, beginning with domestic tourism on July 1,' a Unification Ministry official said on condition of anonymity during a closed-door briefing. 'The fact that the Russian ambassador was invited and highlighted (in the state media report) also appears to have been intended with Russian tourists in mind.' The official further explained, 'North Korea has regarded tourism as very important while recognizing it as a key means of earning foreign currency.' 'Tourism itself is not a violation of sanctions. However, tourism operations that involve bulk cash transfers or are conducted in the form of cooperative projects or joint ventures with North Korea could constitute a violation of sanctions,' the official said. 'On the other hand, individual tourists paying their own expenses on a cost-reimbursement basis would not be considered a sanctions violation.' A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows an aerial view of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone in Wonsan, North Korea. PHOTO: EPA-EFE UN Security Council Resolution 2270 prohibits the transfer of bulk cash to North Korea, and Resolution 2375 bans all UN member states from creating any new joint ventures with North Korean entities or individuals. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae watch a person going down a slide during a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone. PHOTO: AFP North Korea's decision to resume years-long construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone in 2024 could be related to a closer alignment with Russia during the country's grinding war against Ukraine. 'Since North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war, it is believed that the country has received various forms of material support from Russia — support that may have contributed economically to the completion of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone,' the unnamed official said. 'Additionally, there is a possibility that North Korea will actively seek to attract Russian tourists, which could explain the renewed push to promote the project.' North Korea initially designated the area along the coast connecting Wonsan and Mount Kumgang a tourist zone in 2014. KCNA previously reported that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsan region took place in May 2015, on Kalma Street in Wonsan city. North Korea originally set a goal of completing the tourist zone by April 15, 2019, to mark the birth anniversary of the country's late founder, Kim Il Sung. However, the project was repeatedly delayed due to difficulties in securing construction materials under international sanctions. Construction had been halted following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and remained suspended until 2024. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (second from right) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae (left), at the inaugural ceremony of the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area in Kangwon Province, North Korea. PHOTO: AFP The official, however, underscored that Seoul needs to watch how much tourism in the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone can actually be realised 'due to various limitations in transportation infrastructure'. Based on the number of flights and the size of aircraft operating between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, the maximum number of people who could travel via Pyongyang to the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone in a single day would be around 170, according to the official. The official also explained there has been no progress in resuming Chinese group tours, which have been suspended since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020. 'We are also monitoring the potential resumption of large-scale Chinese group tours to North Korea, but no concrete signs have emerged yet.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
N. Korea targets Russian tourists for new beach resort: Seoul
No sign of restarting Chinese group tours to N. Korea since 2020, says Unification Ministry North Korea is expected to court Russian tourists following the official completion of its Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, which is set to open first to domestic travelers in July, South Korea's Unification Ministry said Thursday. The ministry also noted that construction — which had been suspended for an extended period — resumed last year, possibly with material support from Russia and the expectation of attracting Russian tourists. North Korean state media reported Thursday on the completion ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort, held Tuesday and attended by leader Kim Jong-un, his wife Ri Sol-ju, their daughter, widely believed to be Kim Ju-ae, and his sister Kim Yo-jong. Ri made her first public appearance since attending a New Year's Day music concert in 2024. The resort is set to open to domestic visitors on July 1, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said. KCNA reported, 'The tourist zone equipped with hotels and inns capable of accommodating around 20,000 people, allowing domestic and international visitors to choose accommodations that suit their preferences' in a Korean language report. Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexandr Matsegora and his embassy members were invited as special guests, according to the state media report. 'Operations are expected to gradually expand to include Russian tourists, beginning with domestic tourism on July 1,' a Unification Ministry official said on condition of anonymity during a closed-door briefing. 'The fact that the Russian ambassador was invited and highlighted (in the state media report) also appears to have been intended with Russian tourists in mind.' The official further explained, 'North Korea has regarded tourism as very important while recognizing it as a key means of earning foreign currency.' 'Tourism itself is not a violation of sanctions. However, tourism operations that involve bulk cash transfers or are conducted in the form of cooperative projects or joint ventures with North Korea could constitute a violation of sanctions,' the official said. 'On the other hand, individual tourists paying their own expenses on a cost-reimbursement basis would not be considered a sanctions violation.' UN Security Council Resolution 2270 prohibits the transfer of bulk cash to North Korea, and Resolution 2375 bans all UN member states from creating any new joint ventures with North Korean entities or individuals. North Korea's decision to resume yearslong construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone in 2024 could be related to a closer alignment with Russia during the country's grinding war against Ukraine. 'Since North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war, it is believed that the country has received various forms of material support from Russia — support that may have contributed economically to the completion of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone,' the unnamed official said. 'Additionally, there is a possibility that North Korea will actively seek to attract Russian tourists, which could explain the renewed push to promote the project.' North Korea initially designated the area along the coast connecting Wonsan and Mount Kumgang a tourist zone in 2014. KCNA previously reported that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsan region took place in May 2015, on Kalma Street in Wonsan city. North Korea originally set a goal of completing the tourist zone by April 15, 2019, to mark the birth anniversary of the country's late founder, Kim Il-sung. However, the project was repeatedly delayed due to difficulties in securing construction materials under international sanctions. Construction had been halted following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained suspended until 2024. The official, however, underscored that Seoul needs to watch how much tourism in the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone can actually be realized 'due to various limitations in transportation infrastructure.' Based on the number of flights and the size of aircraft operating between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, the maximum number of people who could travel via Pyongyang to the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone in a single day would be around 170, according to the official. The official also explained there has been no progress in resuming Chinese group tours, which have been suspended since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020. 'We are also monitoring the potential resumption of large-scale Chinese group tours to North Korea, but no concrete signs have emerged yet.'
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
N. Korea eyes Russian tourists for soon-to-open beach resort: Seoul
No sign of restarting Chinese group tours to N. Korea since 2020, says Unification Ministry North Korea is expected to court Russian tourists following the official completion of its Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, which is set to open first to domestic travelers in July, South Korea's Unification Ministry said Thursday. The ministry also noted that construction — which had been suspended for an extended period — resumed last year, possibly with material support from Russia and the expectation of attracting Russian tourists. North Korean state media reported Thursday on the completion ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma beach resort, held Tuesday and attended by leader Kim Jong-un, his wife Ri Sol Ju, their daughter, widely believed to be Kim Ju-ae, and his sister Kim Yo-jong. Ri made her first public appearance since attending a New Year's Day music concert in 2024. The resort is set to open to domestic visitors on July 1, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said. KCNA reported, 'The tourist zone equipped with hotels and inns capable of accommodating around 20,000 people, allowing domestic and international visitors to choose accommodations that suit their preferences' in a Korean language report. Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexandr Matsegora and his embassy members were invited as special guests, according to the state media report. 'Operations are expected to gradually expand to include Russian tourists, beginning with domestic tourism on July 1,' a Unification Ministry official said on condition of anonymity during a closed-door briefing. 'The fact that the Russian ambassador was invited and highlighted (in the state media report) also appears to have been intended with Russian tourists in mind.' The official further explained, 'North Korea has regarded tourism as very important while recognizing it as a key means of earning foreign currency.' 'Tourism itself is not a violation of sanctions. However, tourism operations that involve bulk cash transfers or are conducted in the form of cooperative projects or joint ventures with North Korea could constitute a violation of sanctions,' the official said. 'On the other hand, individual tourists paying their own expenses on a cost-reimbursement basis would not be considered a sanctions violation.' UN Security Council Resolution 2270 prohibits the transfer of bulk cash to North Korea, and Resolution 2375 bans all UN member states from creating any new joint ventures with North Korean entities or individuals. North Korea's decision to resume yearslong construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone in 2024 could be related to a closer alignment with Russia during the country's grinding war against Ukraine. 'Since North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine war, it is believed that the country has received various forms of material support from Russia — support that may have contributed economically to the completion of the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone,' the unnamed official said. 'Additionally, there is a possibility that North Korea will actively seek to attract Russian tourists, which could explain the renewed push to promote the project.' North Korea initially designated the area along the coast connecting Wonsan and Mount Kumgang a tourist zone in 2014. KCNA previously reported that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsan region took place in May 2015, on Kalma Street in Wonsan city. North Korea originally set a goal of completing the tourist zone by April 15, 2019, to mark the birth anniversary of the country's late founder, Kim Il-sung. However, the project was repeatedly delayed due to difficulties in securing construction materials under international sanctions. Construction had been halted following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained suspended until 2024. The official, however, underscored that Seoul needs to watch how much tourism in the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone can actually be realized 'due to various limitations in transportation infrastructure.' Based on the number of flights and the size of aircraft operating between Pyongyang and Vladivostok, the maximum number of people who could travel via Pyongyang to the Wonsan-Kalma coastal zone in a single day would be around 170, according to the official. The official also explained there has been no progress in resuming Chinese group tours, which have been suspended since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020. 'We are also monitoring the potential resumption of large-scale Chinese group tours to North Korea, but no concrete signs have emerged yet.'
