North Korean state media on October 23 cited Kim Jong Un’s instruction to “completely remove, upon reaching an agreement with relevant sectors of the South side, the South side’s shabby facilities, whose very sight makes one feel unpleasant.” 

Approximately three weeks have passed, and there is yet to be an inter-Korean consensus on how to follow up on Kim’s comments.

After North Korea rejected Seoul’s proposal to hold working-level talks, South Korea on November 5 notified Pyongyang that it will send an inspection team to the mountain. As of November 12, there is no