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North Korea is apparently softening in its spat with Hyundai Asan over the company¡¯s ouster of its disgraced chief executive, who had led negotiations with the North for many years. On Tuesday, the country¡¯s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee faxed the company an offer to discuss salvaging package tours to the North¡¯s scenic Mt.Kumgang.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young told a parliamentary audit the committee¡¯s vice chairman, Ri Jong-hyuk, proposed talks with Hyundai Asan on Tuesday morning and discussions would start soon.
A ministry official said Ri proposed a meeting with Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun but did not specify a time and place.
Hyundai said it proposed a meeting several times until it got a reply. ¡°Working-level officials are discussing time and place. Chairwoman Hyun will directly meet with Vice Chairman Ri,¡± a company spokesman said.
The ministry official said Hyundai¡¯s inter-Korean business projects ¡°cannot be stopped since they benefit both Hyundai and the North. I expect the two parties to dispel misunderstandings though dialogue and resume the tour project to Mt.Kumgang and promote other business projects.¡±
Pyongyang had earlier said it considered itself no longer bound to agreements with Hyundai on tour projects given the ouster of Asan vice chairman Kim Yoon-kyu, and offered one of them, to the border town of Kaesong, to rival South Korean firm Lotte Tours.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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