South Korea urges dialogue over tourist shot dead in North Korea

(ATTN: RECASTS lead, UPDATES with background)
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Friday called for inter-Korean dialogue
over the unresolved case of a South Korean tourist shot dead in a North Korean
resort last year amid the deepening stalemate in cross-border relations.

North Korea has rejected an on-site investigation into the July 11 shooting death
in the North's eastern Mount Kumgang resort, after which South Korea subsequently
suspended the tour program indefinitely, rapidly sending Inter-Korean relations
into a downward spiral.
"On the first anniversary of the shooting death of the tourist at Mount Kumgang,
our government urges North Korea to come forward to government-to-government
dialogue with immediacy and sincerity so as to resolve the case," Unification
Minister spokesman Chun Hae-sung said in a statement read during a press
briefing.
The victim, a 53-year-old South Korean housewife named Park Wang-ja, was shot
dead after she allegedly wandered into a controlled military zone at the resort.
The following day, South Korea suspended the tour and called for an official
probe to fully account for the incident. Pyongyang rejected the demand and, in
retaliation, expelled "unnecessary" South Korean tour operators stationed at the
resort.
Prospects for an imminent breakthrough were dim. Seoul's position remained
unchanged in demanding an investigation before the tour is resumed, a demand
unlikely to be accepted by the North.
Adding to the tension, a South Korean worker has remained in detention in North
Korea for more than 100 days since he was taken into custody at a joint
industrial park. the North has accused the worker of criticizing its political
system and trying to persuade a local female employee to defect to the South.
South Korea is also tightening financial and other sanctions against North Korea
as part of U.N. Resolution 1874, which punishes Pyongyang for its second nuclear
test in May.
The suspension deepened financial woes for Hyundai Asan Corp., a unit of Hyundai
Group that operated the North Korean tour. Hyundai Asan's president, Cho
Kun-shik, expressed hope that the tours would resume despite the tensions.
"Although there are temporary ups and downs, I'm confident that we will seize the
chance to resume (the tours)," Cho told his employees.
Ministry officials planned to visit Park's family later in the day to pay their
respects.
hkim@yna.co.kr