Kumgangsan Tourist Region in North Korea..more games

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kumgang

Since 1998, South Korean tourists have been allowed to visit Kŭmgangsan, initially travelling by cruise ship, but recently more commonly by coach. In 2002, the area around the mountain was separated from Kangwŏn Province and organized as a separately administered Tourist Region. The land route was opened in 2003. A rail link exists on the North Korean side up to the border, but no tracks are laid between Gangneung and the border in South Korea.

In 1998 there were 15,500 tourists in November and December, in 1999 there were 148,000, and in 2000 213,000. In 2001 tourist numbers dropped to 58,000 amidst disagreements over the access over land. By 2002 almost 500,000 have visited the Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region. Tourist numbers have since established themselves at about 240,000 a year. In June 2005 Hyundai Asan announced the 1 millionth South Korean visit to the area.

The Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region is thought to be one way for the North Korean government to receive hard currency from abroad. Therefore the official currency of the tour is neither the South Korean won nor the North Korean won, but the US Dollar. Since 2003 food and services to South Korean tourists are provided by some North Koreans. But most of the staff in the hotels are, surprisingly, Chinese citizens with some Korean heritage and Korean language skills. The area is developed by Hyundai Asan, who have plans to expand the site with a proper ski resort to complement the current sleigh course, and complete golf courses. Many plans for expansion, however, are in their earliest stages.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumgangsan_Tourist_Region

The Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region is a special administrative region of North Korea. It was established in 2002 to handle South Korean tourist traffic to Kŭmgangsan (Diamond Mountain).

Since 1998, South Korean and foreign tourists have been allowed to visit Kŭmgangsan, traveling at first by cruise ship, but more recently by bus on a newly built road through the Korean Demilitarized Zone. In 2002, the area around the mountain was separated from Kangwon-do and organized as a separately administered Tourist Region. Since 1998 over one million South Koreans have visited the resort. However Americans are forbidden to enter the area, even during the Arirang Festival.

http://www.hdasan.com/english/tourist/kumgang_tour01.jsp

http://www.hdasan.com/english/others/soc.jsp

Hyundai Asan signed an agreement with the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee(“APPC”) and the National Economic Cooperation Federation in North Korea to be granted business rights for major social overhead capital(SOC) projects in North Korea, such as power utilities, telecommunication, railroads, airport, dam, use of water reservoir and tourism.

The agreement states that the North “agreed to bestow all business rights solely to Hyundai for a period of 30 years with regards to the concrete development, construction, blue-print, maintenance, and management regarding infrastructure projects and core industries projects and related trade and others that are being financed single-handedly by Hyundai in North Korean territory, or financed by a third party nation, group, specific fund, or international organization”

In relation to these business rights, North Korea’s Leader, Kim Jong-il approved the validity of these rights during the meeting with chairman Chung Mong-Hun on June 29 and Aug 9, 2000, while the North Korean cabinet ministers officially confirmed that they would see to the fulfillment of the agreement. In addition, APPC made an announcement via the Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang on March 9, 2003 that “all business rights regarding the Mt. Kumgang tourism business, Kaesong industrial complex and other SOC projects have been handed over to Hyundai.” This announcement proves that North Korea is willing to carry out its promise related to the Hyundai’s business rights to various inter-Korean economic cooperation projects.

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this is a follow up post to kaesong industrial park and hyundai asan..we have already established that asan is heavily involved in an industrial hub 10kms inside north korea from the DMZ..we also know that in 2000 asan was charged with money trafficking into north korea in the $us100 million range..now we have the kumgangsan tourist region..a region that asan has actively pushed as a tourist region to enable the cash starved north koreans to get hard cash..and they dont want south or north korean dollars..they want USD..yet they dont want americans in the region..ironic isnt it?

“official currency of the tour is neither the South Korean won nor the North Korean won, but the US Dollar.”

“However Americans are forbidden to enter the area”

hyundai has all the rights to north korean development in the 2 areas of kaesong and kumgangsan..its very hard not think that this is just a conduit to more money trafficking..does a leopard change its spots?

i bet in a war both sites would never be hit

http://www.nkeconwatch.com/category/labor-conditionswages/

at the moment with the north firing missiles we have seen a worsening in relations between the south and north and this is affecting kaesong and kumgangsan, and the holding of an asan employee in the north is also causing consternation..to the point that asan are now doing new tours to other areas of north korea..gotta keep those dollars coming in somehow

401

~ by seeker401 on July 6, 2009.