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South Korea's unification minister paid a visit to the inter-Korean border on Wednesday,... as questions continue to swirl over North Korea's recent shooting toward a South Korean guard post.
The ministry explained the visit was aimed at monitoring the area before resuming public tours, which have been halted since late last year following an outbreak of African swine fever.
Kim Hyo-sun reports.
Seoul's unification minister Kim Yeon-chul visited the inter-Korean truce village on Wednesday,... to which public tour programs have been suspended since last October due to the African swine fever outbreak across the country.
He also visited the former site of a guard post in the border town of Paju, which was dismantled following the inter-Korean military agreement signed in September 2018.
Among the guard posts that have been demolished,... this is the only area available for public tour.
"The quarantine authorities have decided on the guidelines, and with the minister's visit, we will soon have a definite date for the resumption of the tour schedule."
Once the country successfully overcomes the COVID-19 pandemic,... Seoul will also begin its plan of transforming the DMZ into a peace zone.
This is in line with the Panmunjeom Declaration signed by the leaders of two Koreas two years ago.
However, the minister's visit to the area sparked controversy as North Korea is staying silent regarding its shooting of a separate South Korean guard post located in the inter-Korean border on Sunday.
To this, the unification ministry explained the minister's visit was planned in advance.
The South Korean military and intelligence agency also put more weight on the view that the incident was accidental.
Regarding the shooting,... the UN Command explained Wednesday that it has launched an on-site investigation.
It explained the findings will be provided to the South Korean government and parts will also be disclosed to the public.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.