Seoul: The unification ministry is expected to resume its tour program to the truce village of Panmunjom on the inter-Korean border next month following its suspension in late 2023 due to military tensions, officials said Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry is actively preparing to restart the operations of the tour program, initially focusing on policy-related visitors. Once the operations prove stable, the ministry plans to extend access to the general public.
The government had originally paused the Panmunjom tour in July 2023 after an incident involving U.S. Army private Travis King, who crossed into North Korea during a tour of the Joint Security Area, escalating military tensions. Although the tour was partially resumed in November, it was completely suspended again shortly after due to the presence of heavily armed North Korean soldiers at Panmunjom.
During the suspension, only foreigners, including foreign Korean War veterans, were allowed to visit Panmunjom through an irregular tour program. The ministry's decision to work toward resuming the tour comes in response to public calls, and it has engaged in consultations with related agencies, including the United Nations Command, which supervises military activities in the Demilitarized Zone.