South Korea says some Demilitarized Zone tours to resume after US soldier crossing
South Korea announced the restart of select Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) tours, paused after a U.S. soldier's unauthorized crossing. These exclusive tours, limited to 20 guests with ties to the Unification Ministry, will occur thrice daily, four times weekly. The decision follows discussions with the United Nations Command (UNC) to ensure safety. General tours for the public, halted since the incident, await review by the UNC. The DMZ, overseen by the UNC, remains a symbol of the Korean conflict's unresolved status, hosting historical inter-Korean talks.
Synopsis South Korea announced the restart of select Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) tours, paused after a U.S. soldier's unauthorized crossing. These exclusive tours, limited to 20 guests with ties to the Unification Ministry, will occur thrice daily, four times weekly. The decision follows discussions with the United Nations Command (UNC) to ensure safety. General tours for the public, halted since the incident, await review by the UNC. The DMZ, overseen by the UNC, remains a symbol of the Korean conflict's unresolved status, hosting historical inter-Korean talks. AP South Korean soldiers prepare to do a live fire exercise near an Apache helicopter during a joint drill between South Korea and the United States at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) South Korea said on Tuesday some tours of the Demilitarized Zone ( DMZ ) between the two Koreas will restart for selected guests for the first time since they were suspended after a U.S. soldier dashed across the border four months ago. The DMZ tours , which are popular with foreign tourists, were halted after U.S. Army Private Travis King crossed into North Korea in July while on a tour. He was later handed back by the North and returned to the United States where he faces charges. A tour will take place on Wednesday, attended by people with ties to South Korea's Unification Ministry, though tours for the general public remain suspended, said the ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs. These special tours, attended by 20 people, will take place three times a day, four times a week, it said. The resumption comes after the unification ministry met with the commander of the United Nations Command (UNC) General Paul LaCamera on Monday to discuss strengthening cooperation, the ministry said. "We will work to resume general tours after thoroughly reviewing all the issues including the safety of the public with United Nations Command," the ministry said in a statement. The U.S.-led UNC is a multinational military force and oversees affairs in the heavily fortified DMZ between the two Koreas, which remain technically at war. The UNC had indefinitely suspended all tours around the tightly controlled village of Panmunjom, known formally as the Joint Security Area (JSA), after King's unauthorised crossing. Before the incident, tourists seeking to brush up close to the authoritarian reclusive North regularly visited the JSA - a cluster of buildings that has hosted inter-Korean talks and where troops from both sides stand almost face to face. Experience Your Economic Times Newspaper, The Digital Way! Tuesday, 21 Nov, 2023 Read Complete ePaper » Digital View Print View Wealth Edition Strictures Leave IPO Financing at a Dead End The initial public offering (IPO) market is red hot, with five issues worth ₹7,400 crore opening for subscription this week, but enthusiasm is muted among finance companies that have historically lent to bidders in such share sales. All in a Weekend: Altman Gets MS Office, OpenAI a New Boss OpenAI co founder Sam Altman is joining Microsoft as the head of a new AI research group while ex-Twitch boss Emmett Shear is set to take over as the interim CEO of the ChatGPT maker, in a surprise turn of events for the startup at the heart of an artificial intelligence boom. CVs Set for Heavy-Duty FY24 Sales Sales of commercial vehicles, a barometer of economic activity, are expected to hit an all-time high in FY24, fetching record revenue for companies such as Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and VE Commercial Vehicles. Read More News on dmz South Korea US soldier DMZ tours travis king gerry doyle (Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times .) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News. ... more less Prime Exclusives Investment Ideas Stock Report Plus ePaper Wealth Edition SBI, Bajaj Fin, Axis Bank face the heat of unsecured lending norms. What should investors do next? Trust deficit? Some students cry foul over UpGrad’s refund policy, allege misrepresentation. Planning a ‘skinny jab’? The truth behind miracle weight-loss drugs 3 insights to kick-start your day, featuring government’s eye on Sahara’s money Inside the proposed Reliance-Disney Star deal and what it means for the OTT industry Stock Radar: BEL may hit fresh record highs in short term. Time to add defence stocks to portfolio? 1 2 3 View all Stories
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