The DPRK recently took measures to let those concerned of the south side enter Mt. Kumgang resort to discuss the issue of adjusting real estates there and do business and property registration again and either take part in the international tour at their will or dispose of their properties by way of lease, transfer and sale according to a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK on setting up the special zone for international tour of Mt. Kumgang and the DPRK law on special zone for international tour of Mt. Kumgang.

This was prompted by the purport to resume the tour at an early date and show the nation's famous mountain to an increasing number of people at home and abroad and meet the interests of the south side's businesses under the situation where the suspension of the tour drags on due to the unjust behavior of the south Korean authorities.

The south authorities, however, approached the measures taken by the DPRK with insincerity. They deliberately blocked the south side's businessmen from entering Mt. Kumgang resort for the adjustment of their properties. In face of the DPRK's criticism and protest by businesses, the authorities brought with them only a few businesses out of more than 30 businesses holding real estate in Mt. Kumgang resort. And they, insisting on authorities' negotiations only, prevented the businesses from meeting those from the north side and did not allow them to speak out at the negotiating table.

There were two attempted negotiations for the adjustment of the properties in Mt. Kumgang resort but the north side could not have an opportunity to properly talk to NGO businessmen of south side.

Taking into consideration the embarrassing position of the south side's businesses suffering undeserved damage due to the authorities' arbitrary practices, the north side decided to finally clinch the above-said issue by giving them more time till July 29.

The south Korean authorities, far from feeling responsibility for it, stuck to their unreasonable stand, talking about "retract of the law on special zone", "breach of south-north agreement" and "infringement upon property right". They even proposed authorities' working talks, revealing their attempt to elbow out NGO businesses and have the negotiations for the adjustment of properties and those for the tour to themselves.

Meanwhile, they talked about "sticking to the existing stand" on the issue of resuming the south Koreans' tour, an issue drawing attention of domestic and foreign public, thereby betraying their ulterior design to build a higher barrier.

The DPRK declared the area for tour of Mt. Kumgang as a special zone for international tour and enacted a special law according to it. This was a legitimate measure taken to cope with the south Korean authorities' unilateral suspension of the tour for three years under an absurd pretext.

As for "breach of agreement" and "infringement upon the right to properties", it was none other than the south side which breached and scrapped the agreement reached between Hyundai and the DPRK and it was again the south Korean authorities who caused the DPRK and the south side's businesses such big losses.

The DPRK and Hyundai made the tour of Mt. Kumgang successful, by cooperating with each other. But the south Korean authorities unilaterally suspended it without any consultation with the parties concerned and have so far stood in the way of resuming it.

As far as the case of a tourist which the south Korean authorities put up as a pretext for suspending the tour is concerned, the south side was entirely to blame for the case as it was an incident that took place because the south side failed to put its personnel under proper control and thus the tourist illegally trespassed on the area under the military control of the north side.

The south side also failed to pay a large portion of money it owed to the north side for the tour of Mt. Kumgang.

There is no room to talk about the north-south agreement at present and it has already become a dead paper.

Under this situation the DPRK invested the Hyundai with the right to do south Koreans' tour under the new law on the special zone and offered the south side's businesses the opportunity to hold negotiations for the protection of their properties. This was the biggest favor shown by the DPRK.

In fact, the DPRK's sovereignty is exercised over the special zone for international tour of Mt. Kumgang. So, the adjustment of properties in this area can be done under the DPRK's law and it does not require any discussion with the south side.

The south Korean authorities, however, behaved arrogantly and disturbed the work to adjust the properties, reminding one of a thief crying "Stop the thief!" An aim sought by them is to torpedo the international tour and block the resumption of the south Koreans' tour of Mt. Kumgang.

This petty trick will no longer work on anyone.

The south Korean authorities should allow the entry of the south side's businesses holding their properties in Mt. Kumgang resort by July 29 so that they may do business and property registration and decide to take part in the international tour or lease, transfer or sell their properties.

On this premise, the DPRK will consider authorities' working talks proposed by the south side authorities.

The DPRK is ready for both international tour and resumption of the south Koreans' tour.

If the south Korean authorities try to use the working talks between authorities, defying the just demand of the DPRK and elbowing out NGO businessmen, as a lever for disturbing the implementation of the above-said law and the adjustment of the properties of the south side's businesses, the DPRK will not accept the authorities' working talks but take strong legal measures to dispose of the south side's properties as it had already declared.