Seoul mulls stricter N.K. cargo checks
The South Korean government is considering fortifying inspections of cargo to and from North Korea and has decided to halt subsidies to the Mount Geumgang joint tourism project in North Korea.As part of its measures following the U.N. resolution against North Korea's Oct. 9 nuclear test, the government is reviewing ways to bolster cargo inspections and to adjust the list of products allowed to be delivered to the North, news reports said. The Unification Ministry did not confirm the details and said the final decision is yet to be made. The measures under consideration also include direct wage payment to North Korean workers at Gaeseong industrial park in an effort to increase transparency. Shipments of additional materials for railway and road reconnection projects could also be suspended, reports said. Seoul has already halted shipments of relief aid and additional rice in the wake of the July missile test by the North. South Korea has been preparing measures in line with the U.N. resolution obligating member states to draw up sanctions against North Korea's trade of weapons of mass destruction and luxury goods.
