North Korea used explosives to demolish a golf resort built for South Koreans and once symbolized hope for peace and cooperation between the two countries, according to the Times. Satellite images show that buildings on Mount Kumgang – Diamond Mountain – a tourist resort, built by South Korean companies, were partially destroyed last weekend, the Times reported. This follows reports that the Haegumgang floating hotel on Mount Kumgang, which belonged to the South Korean Hyundai Group, was dismantled last month, according to local media. Guests enjoy the manicured lawn at the South Korean golf course at Mount Kumgang Resort, also known as Diamond Mountain, in North Korea on September 1, 2011. Ng Han Guan, AP Photo South Korean government officials have tried to use an intergovernmental telephone line to seek explanations for the destruction of tourism businesses in the mountainous region, according to the Times. They were unsuccessful in their attempts to get an answer. “North Korea’s unilateral act to dismantle the hotel is clearly contrary to the purpose of the joint interdepartmental efforts based on mutual respect and consultation,” Cha Deok-cheol, a spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, told the Times. In this photo from Saturday, October 8, 2011, a North Korean captures videos of the landscape as he and other hikers climb to the top of Mount Kumgang in North Korea. David Guttenfelder / AP Photo Mount Kumgang, a special administrative region of North Korea, was established in 2002 to accommodate South Korean holidaymakers. It was a feature of South Korea’s “Sun Policy” for engagement with North Korea – a foreign policy framework that sought to strengthen cooperation between the two nations through economic interaction. Map of the tourist area of Mount Kumgang in North Korea. Insider / Google Maps South Koreans frequented the resort for several years, contributing foreign currency to the North Korean economy. However, tourism stopped in 2008 when a tourist was shot by a North Korean soldier. A 53-year-old South Korean woman has been killed after entering an unrestricted area, prompting the South Korean government to suspend tours of the resort. The suspension lasted until 2018. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the tourist resort of Mount Kumgang, North Korea on October 23, 2019. REUTERS In 2019, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited and criticized the tourist area, describing it as “backward”, “low” and “shaky”, according to Australia’s ABC News. The media reported that he asked for the facilities to be rebuilt to meet the “aesthetic taste” of North Korea, the media reported.
