Hyundai Asan CEO Prolongs Stay in N. Korea

Hyundai Asan CEO Yoon Man-joon will stay longer in North Korea to hold consultations over the shooting death of a South Korean tourist at Mount Geumgang.

A Hyundai Asan source said yesterday, “The CEO decided to prolong his stay because his consultations with the North have not been concluded yet. It is uncertain whether he will return Tuesday or Wednesday.”

Yoon reportedly opted to stay longer because Pyongyang requested further consultations as he was about to leave the mountain resort.

He decided Sunday to stay longer and reported that he would to South Korean authorities, including the Unification Ministry.

Against this backdrop, ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyon told a news briefing yesterday, “Yoon and his team are scheduled to return through the Mount Geumgang route in the afternoon.”

A Hyundai Asan executive said, “I thought the inter-Korean consultation for finding the truth [behind the shooting] and coming up with countermeasures was gone. But now I have slight hope for further consultations.”

bookum90@donga.com