Ministry of Unification "Monitoring Ananti Golf Course Demolition Trends... Requesting Fact-Check from North Korea"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 12th, the Ministry of Unification announced that it is monitoring North Korea's demolition activities not only at the Geumgangsan Haegumgang Hotel but also at the Ananti Golf Course.

An official from the Ministry of Unification stated, "Yesterday, we once again requested confirmation of the related facts from the North through the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office," revealing this information.

Additionally, the Ministry of Unification said, "We have also agreed to check through the relevant business operators whether there are any further developments," adding, "There has been no official response from the North yet."

The official emphasized, "The government sternly urges North Korea to immediately halt its unilateral actions that infringe upon the property rights of our companies," and "We also demand that North Korea promptly respond to explanations of the related facts and engage in consultations to resolve the Geumgangsan issue."

He continued, "While closely monitoring North Korea's movements, we will thoroughly prepare and review necessary measures in close consultation with the business operators regarding the related situation." When asked about the specific progress of the dismantling, he was reserved, saying, "Since this is classified information, it is difficult to provide specific details."

In this regard, NK News, a North Korea-specialized media outlet, reported on the 11th that, based on satellite image analysis, North Korea appears to have begun demolition work at the Geumgangsan Ananti Golf Course. On the same day, Ananti announced a plan to write off 50.7 billion KRW worth of assets, including the golf course and resort it owns within the Geumgangsan Special Zone.

However, attention is also focused on the possibility of damage caused by a nearby fire rather than demolition. The Rodong Sinmun reported that the Geumgangsan area was damaged due to a wildfire in Onjeong-ri, Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province, on that day.

According to the newspaper, around 3:20 p.m. on the 9th, a wildfire broke out in the hills near Guryongyeon in the Geumgangsan area and near Goseong Port Golf Course in Onjeong-ri, Goseong-gun, and was extinguished only on the 10th, a day later.

The Ministry of Unification explained, "We have confirmed that a fire occurred in the Onjeong-ri area of Goseong and are currently assessing the damage situation to our facilities."

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