The South Korean government on Feb. 13 urged North Korea to immediately halt the unilateral demolition of a reunion facility for separated families at its Mount Kumgang resort, condemning the move as a serious violation of South Korea’s property rights.
In a statement issued under the name of its spokesperson, the Ministry of Unification said, “The government has confirmed that North Korea is dismantling the Mount Kumgang family reunion center, a facility symbolizing the long-cherished hopes of separated families for permanent reunions.” The ministry added, “We strongly regret that North Korea is tearing down the reunion facility, which was established through inter-Korean agreements, and sternly call for an immediate halt to such actions.” The ministry condemned the demolition, stating that “tearing down the Mount Kumgang family reunion center crushes the hopes of separated families and is a cruel act.” It also denounced the move as “a blatant violation of South Korea’s state assets.”
Built under a bilateral agreement as a venue for inter-Korean reunions, the facility was constructed with an investment of approximately 55 billion won ($37.9 million) from South Korea. The 50,000-square-meter complex includes a 12-story main reunion building with one underground level, two three-story administrative office buildings, and a security post. The main building features a hall and meeting rooms that can accommodate 600 people, as well as convenience facilities on the first and second floors. The third and fourth floors house 78 hotel-style rooms, while the fifth through twelfth floors contain 128 condominium-style units, totaling 206 rooms with a maximum capacity of about 1,000 people. Discussions on constructing the reunion center began in 2002, but fluctuating inter-Korean relations delayed the groundbreaking by three years. After three years of construction, the facility was completed in 2008.
North Korea’s decision to demolish the center aligns with leader Kim Jong-un’s directive to redefine inter-Korean ties as those between two hostile states. Following the abrupt end of the U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi in February 2019, where no agreement was reached, Kim ordered the removal of South Korean-built facilities at the Mount Kumgang tourist area, dismissing them as “shabby and unpleasant to look at.” Since then, Pyongyang has unilaterally dismantled South Korean assets in the area. In April 2023, North Korea demolished a fire station built with 2.2 billion won ($1.5 million) in South Korean government funds, leaving the family reunion center as the last remaining South Korean-built structure.
The South Korean government said it is reviewing potential legal measures in response to North Korea’s actions and is considering working with the international community to address the issue.
