A Tour to Gaeseong as early as October

A tour package to Gaeseong could be introduced possibly as early as October.

During a press conference held at Hyundai Housing Culture Center at Jongro in Seoul, President of Hyundai Asan Kim Yoo-kyu said, "During our visit to North Korea on September 6 and 7, North Korean officials agreed to start a one-day tour project soon after the construction project for a 10,000-pyong industrial park is began."

He added, "The industrial park will accommodate 5 Korean small-sized firms, which had applied for the move into the area. The firms would move into the area within 6 months after the ground breaking ceremony of the industrial park." Huyndai Asan will establish the industrial park`s infrastructure first hand.

According to Hyundai, the communist country also agreed to the construction of snow-slope skiing and ordinary skiing facilities within this year, operation by Hyundai Asan of Geumgangsan Post, an accommodation facility for special guests, building of a golf course with 36 hoes in the Gaesueng industrial park and the exhibition of North Korea`s national treasure artifacts in Seoul.

Also planned is the opening ceremony of `Yookyng (the previous name of Pyongyang) Chung Ju-yung gymnasium` from October 2 to 5. Hyundai Asian will sell its 380,000 or 4.3% of its treasury shares among the total shares of 895,000 to the public by September 30. The total shares sold this time are worth 1.9 billion won. Average buyers can purchase the stocks in blocks of ten and students, two.

Jong sik Kong kong@donga.com