Last fall’s inter-Korean talks ended in stalemate, with the two parties failing to build on the momentum of the August 25 agreement.

The main obstacle of the dialogue was the Mount Kumgang tourism. North Korea tried to tie tourism to the reunions of divided families, while South Korean argued that the two be separated.

Launched under former president Kim Dae-jung in 1998, the tourism destination had been popular among the elderly in South Korea, one they could enjoy in their retirement. The tour has been suspended since the death of South Korean citizen Park Wang-ja in