N.Korea Pushes South on Cross-Border Business Projects

North Korea on Tuesday accused South Korea of failing to live up to its end of an agreement signed by their leaders at their summit in April.

The official Rodong Sinmun in an editorial complained that inter-Korean business projects "appear nice only on the surface, while no concrete progress has been made."

"The owner of Cheong Wa Dae has changed, but [South Korea] does not dare mention the need to deal with the closures of the Kaesong Industrial Complex or Mt. Kumgang resort tours, for which the previous conservative administration is responsible, but is rather siding with foreign influences by placing new obstacles on top of the existing sanctions," the daily grumbled.

It mentioned recent cross-border basketball games and talks to discuss sports, railway and highway projects and said they "merely end in creating an amicable atmosphere." It accused the South of "causing a huge fuss" by seeking U.S. approval "for a problem as small as connecting a military communication line in a tiny area along the West Sea."

The complaint comes just after a U.S. State Department official warned South Korean businesses to abide by sanctions against the North.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a rare move last week called Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and urged Seoul to abide by the sanctions.

Meanwhile, Vice Unification Minister of Chun hae-sung heads to Mt. Kumgang on Wednesday, presumably to prepare for reunions of families separated by the Korean War. The government said his visit has nothing to do with prospects of resuming package tours to the scenic resort.

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