N. Korea Blames S. Korea for Tourist Killing

North Korea yesterday blamed South Korea for the shooting death Saturday of a South Korean tourist in Mount Geumgang.

Pyongyang has commonly tried to cover up its misdeeds and shift blame to Seoul whenever an accident occurs. The shooting of a 53-year-old female tourist, however, has ignited public anger in South Korea and suspended tours to the scenic mountain.

In a statement, North Korea began by expressing regret but held the victim and South Korea “completely responsible” for the incident.

“Even though our soldier asked the lady who entered a military area to stop, she ran away,” the statement said. “We repeatedly told her to stop first by firing a blank cartridge, but she continued to run away so we had to shoot her.”

Instead of an apology, the North said, “The South should be held responsible for this, and apologize to us and formulate measures to prevent a recurrence. Its unilateral decision to suspend trips to Mount Geumgang is a direct challenge to us.”

In May 2006, Pyongyang canceled a test run of inter-Korean railways a day before it was to proceed, saying Seoul was totally responsible. The North cited naval skirmishes in the Yellow Sea and the burning of the North Korean flag in the South as reasons for the cancellation.

When three North Korean patrol ships crossed the inter-Korean sea border in November 2004, Pyongyang’s naval command said Seoul’s warships attempted a provocation with the patrol ships on duty in their area.