NKorea offers SKorea to resume tourist trips in March-April.

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PYONGYANG, February 9 (Itar-Tass) - North Korea has offered South
Korea to resume tours of Mt. Kumgang and the Kaesong areas in March-April,
the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday.
Commenting on the results of a working visit on the issue, it said
there are no reasons at the present moment for delaying the implementation
of tourism projects, which have become a symbol of inter-Korean
reconciliation and cooperation.
The news agency said North Korea had thoroughly looked into the
tragedy in July 2009, when a sentry shot dead a female tourist from South
Korea when she entered a no-entry zone without permission.
After that the North Korean government made a statement on guarantees
of security to South Korean tourists in the future. The news agency said
this incident can be considered exhausted and must not be used as a
pretext for an unjustified practice of dragging feet.
At talks in North Korea on Monday, Pyongyang urged Seoul to resume
tourist trips as soon as possible. The news agency said "The north side,
with a view to resuming the tour as soon as possible and bringing about a
turning phase in the improvement of the inter-Korean relations, presented
a draft agreement containing its positive proposal to resume the tour of
the Kaesong area from the 1st of March and the tour of Mt. Kumgang from
the 1st of April and called on the south side to affirmatively respond to
it".
"However, the south side, far from accepting the north side's sincere
proposal, let loose a tirade about 'three conditions' and the like and
made a far-fetched assertion that it is impossible to resume the tour
unless they are met," the news agency stressed.
-0-zhe/