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North Korea begins demolishing family reunion center in Mount Kumgang tourism zone
North Korea has begun demolishing the reunion center for families separated during the 1950-53 Korean War, the last South Korean government facility within the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region in the North, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Thursday.
“The government has confirmed that North Korea is demolishing the Kumgang Mountain Separated Family Reunion Center, which embodies the wish for regular reunions between separated families,” said Unification Ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam in a statement.
“The South Korean government strongly regrets that North Korea is unilaterally demolishing the Kumgang Mountain Separated Family Reunion Center, which was established through an agreement between the South and the North, and we strongly urge that this demolition immediately cease,” Koo continued. “The demolition of the center is an inhumane act that tramples on the wishes of separated families and is a serious infringement on our national property.”
Koo added that North Korea’s unilateral demolition “cannot be justified under any pretext” and that all responsibility for this situation “must be borne entirely by the North Korean authorities.”
The South Korean government would review necessary measures, including legal action and cooperation with the international community.
Construction on the separated family reunion center began on Aug. 31, 2005, following an agreement at the 5th North-South Red Cross talks in November 2003. A total of 51.2 billion won ($35 million) was invested to build the center, which has 12 floors above ground and one underground floor. The building was completed in July 2008.
After completion, the center was not used for about a year after a South Korean tourist was shot in the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region. It was put into operation for the first time in September 2009, when a group reunion event for separated families took place on the Chuseok holiday of that year.
