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North Korea has told Hyundai Asan it will halve the number of South Korean tourists allowed to visit the North¡¯s Mt.Kumgang to 600 a day. The move apparently comes in protest at the South Korean company¡¯s decision to oust its vice chairman Kim Yoon-kyu despite objections from Pyongyang.
Hyundai Asan said Monday it would reduce the number of South Korean tourists to Mt. Kumgang from Sept.1 at North Korea¡¯s request and operate only a three-day-two- night tour for the time being. Currently, 1,000 to 1,200 South Koreans a tour have been allowed to visit the scenic mountain.
The North announced its decision on Friday, just as Hyundai was running a first trial tour to another North Korean destination, the city of Kaesong. At a meeting, the North made it clear it was miffed that Hyundai went ahead with the ouster of its vice chairman despite North Korean pleas to let the embattled executive stay. An internal inspection had found Kim guilty of corruption, and he resigned at a board meeting on Aug. 18.
Hyundai Asan worries that Pyongyang¡¯s decision could derail its North Korea tourism projects. The number of South Korean visitors to Mt. Kumgang surpassed 1 million in June and an average of 1,000 South Koreans go to the mountain every day.
A Hyundai executive said the company was puzzled since it was expanding tours to other areas like Kaesong and Mt. Baekdu, adding it would try to persuade the North to change its mind.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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