A group of South Koreans visiting Mount Geumgang, a tourist resort on North Korea's east coast, were detained on Sunday for allegedly making unauthorized contact with a soldier from the communist state, Hyundai Asan Corp. said.
According to the company, the operator of the tourism business, around 1,000 tourists were detained for some 40 minutes after Cha Myung-jin, a lawmaker of South Korea's opposition Grand National Party, was caught attempting to give some snacks and ice cream to a North Korean soldier standing guarding. The group were later released and deported home at around 5:40 p.m.
Travelers are prohibited from making contact with North Korean guards and residents at the resort, which has been open to tourists since 1998. Hyundai Asan is spearheading the tourism project.
The lawmaker was visiting Mount Geumgang to attend a ground-breaking ceremony for a coal briquette factory in the area.
The North reportedly released the tourists after the South Korean side apologized and promised to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.
Seoul, Sept. 17 (Yonhap News)
S. Korean tourists detained at Mount Geumgang |
