SKorea seeks NKorea talks over tourist killing

AFP, July, 2008

SEOUL (AFP) — South Korea's ruling party called on Monday for talks with North Korea to ease tensions after a soldier in the communist state shot dead a Seoul tourist who strayed into a restricted military zone.

"The tragic case shows how important it is for the two Koreas to make peace," said Hong Joon-Pyo, parliamentary whip of President Lee Myung-Bak's Grand National Party.

Lee's spokesman also offered dialogue, even though the North had angrily rebuffed a presidential olive branch last Friday.

But the spokesman insisted that South Korea's suspension of tours to the Mount Kumgang resort -- which have earned the North tens of millions of dollars -- will stay in force "until the shooting incident is satisfactorily settled."

The killing last Friday, just hours before the president offered talks to ease months of hostility, raised more questions as it emerged that previous trespassers into ...