North Korea to lift border controls with the South

AS UN sanctions continue to put pressure on North Korea’s embattled economy, Pyongyang has agreed to end its self-imposed blockade on its border with South Korea and ease restrictions on frontier crossings to allow some tourism and resume reunions for separated families.

The announcement of a lifting of border restrictions came after a private visit by Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang.

There have been various signs of late of easing tensions on the Korean peninsula, tensions which had been ratcheted up by North Korea’s nuclear test in May and provocative missile tests, as well as regular threats by Pyongyang to invade the South.

Two jailed US journalists were released this month after a visit by former US president Bill Clinton, while a South Korean worker detained in a separate incident was also released.

In a statement the North Koreans said Hyundai would pursue a new tourism programme to Mount Paektu, on the China-North Korean border. Hyundai Asan, which is part of the Hyundai group, used to run tours to the scenic Kumgang resort until it was suspended last July after a South Korean woman was shot dead by a North Korean soldier.

Restrictions on land travel for South Koreans through the demilitarised zone (DMZ), which has divided the two Koreas since the end of the Korean War, would be lifted.

Along with easing of restrictions, the statement said the two Koreas agreed to “energise the operation” at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. This park is a vital source of revenue for Pyongyang, but it has been effectively shut down for most of the year.

South Korea responded warily, saying the Hyundai visit had been a private visit, not an inter-governmental one.

The unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs in Seoul, said: “This agreement was reached on a civilian basis . . . for these measures to be implemented, we need concrete co- ordination between the two governments. And we will try to achieve that as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, China’s chief nuclear negotiator, Wu Dawei, was due to visit North Korea yesterday to try and convince the North to return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks. China, the North’s only significant ally and host of the talks, is keen for the North to come back to the stalled talks which also involve South Korea, the United States, Russia and Japan. North Korea wants direct talks with the US, but Washington says this can only happen in tandem with the six-party negotiations.