Government: "North Korea is dismantling the Geumgangsan separated family reunion center... Strong regret" (Comprehensive)

"All Responsibility Lies Entirely with the North"
The Only Remaining Government Asset in the Geumgangsan Area

North Korea has begun dismantling the Geumgangsan Reunion Center for Separated Families, which can be considered a symbol of ‘inter-Korean reconciliation.’ The South Korean government has expressed strong regret to the North and demanded a halt to the dismantling.

On the 13th, the Ministry of Unification issued a statement saying, "We strongly regret North Korea’s unilateral dismantling of the Geumgangsan Reunion Center for Separated Families, which was established by inter-Korean agreement, and we sternly urge an immediate cessation of this dismantling activity."

The Ministry of Unification stated, "The dismantling of the Geumgangsan Reunion Center for Separated Families is an inhumane act that tramples on the hopes of separated families and a serious infringement on our national property," adding, "North Korea’s unilateral dismantling cannot be justified under any pretext, and the North Korean authorities must bear full responsibility for all consequences arising from this situation."

The Ministry also said, "The government will review necessary measures, including legal actions and cooperation with the international community, regarding this matter."

The Reunion Center was the only government-owned building remaining in the Geumgangsan tourist area after the fire station building was dismantled in April last year. Since its completion in 2008, a total of five reunion events for separated families were held there until 2018.

Currently, the Reunion Center is in the stage of having its exterior tiles removed, and the annex building attached to the main building is also undergoing wall demolition. A Ministry of Unification official stated, "The annex office building’s walls are being torn down," and added, "It seems they might also be considering dismantling the main building."

Meanwhile, with this attempt to dismantle the Reunion Center, most major South Korean facilities in the Geumgangsan tourist area have disappeared. However, there have been no reports yet of attempts to construct new tourist facilities on the site.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.