North Korea proposes talks on demolishing Diamond Mountain resort

North Korea has formally proposed talks with South Korea over the demolition of South Korean-made hotels and other tourist facilities at the North Diamond Mountain resort. The Unification Ministry of Seoul on October 25, reporteldy claimed that they have received a letter from the North proposing discussions on the issue through exchanges of documents. Kim Jong Un recently expressed his frustration and described the facilities as “shabby” and lacking “national character”. The North Korean leader also claimed that the South won't defy international sanctions and resume South Korean tours at the site. 

Destruction of “unpleasant-looking facilities”

Earlier this week Kim Jong Un had ordered the destruction of the facilities after his visit to the resort. His comments were seen as a major set back to liberal South Korean President Moon Jae-in. According to an international media outlet, Kim said the buildings are just a hotchpotch with "no national character" at all and that they were built like makeshift tents in a disaster-stricken area or isolation wards. He said due to the mistaken policy of the predecessors who tried to get benefits without any efforts after just offering the tourist area, the mountain was left uncared for more than 10 years. He made a sharp criticism of the very wrong, dependent policy of the predecessors who were going to rely on others when the country was not strong enough. 

READ: North Korea Urges US To Act Wisely Through Year-end Deadline

Kim has reportedly ordered the officials to remove the “unpleasant-looking facilities” entirely. He also discussed the matter with South Korean officials regarding the construction of “new modern service facilities” their own way that would go with the natural scenery of Mt. Kumgang. The North Korean leader has always criticized North Korea's policies pushed under his late father. Kim believes that those policies are too dependent on the South and vowed that the North would redevelop the site on its own.

READ: Food Insecurity In North Korea At Alarming Level: UN Rapporteur

US-North Korea

Kim's decision comes during the standstill negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. Talks between the United States and North Korea in Sweden concluded with an abrupt end earlier this month. The talks were conducted to resume the denuclearisation process which had been stopped since the collapse of the second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. North Korea's chief negotiator Kim Myong-Gil, said after meeting with his US counterpart, Stephen Biegun, the talks broke down due to Washington's failure to come up with a new proposal.

(With AP inputs)

READ: Japan Searching For Crew Of Sunken North Korean Boat

READ: North Korea's Kim Jong-Un Rides White Horse Up Snowclad Mountain