By Park Si-soo
A South Korean delegation will visit North Korea on Tuesday to inspect venues for a joint cultural event and a training center for skiers ahead of the Pyeongchang Olympics opening ceremony on Feb. 9
Seoul's unification ministry said Monday the 12-member delegation would cross the inter-Korean border on Tuesday morning on a three-day visit to the reclusive state, during which they will inspect Mt. Kumgang and the Masikryong Ski Resort.
The high-profile visit, agreed at the latest inter-Korean talks on Jan. 17, will begin a day after a North Korean delegation ended its two-day inspection of possible sites for a North Korean art troupe's performance in the South.
South Korea believes the planned exchanges of cultural and sports events will help ease heightened military tension on the Korean Peninsula and possibly pave the way for a breakthrough in dealing with the North's nuclear and missile programs.
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"In accordance with the agreement made between the two Koreas, a 12-member (South Korean) delegation will visit North Korea from tomorrow to Thursday," said ministry spokesman Baek Tae-hyun.
"The delegation will be led by Lee Joo-tae, director general of the Unification Ministry's Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Bureau. They will cross the inter-Korean border via a land route along the east coast and will return through the same route."
The spokesman said North Korea would pay for the delegation's visit, as the South did for the North's delegation led by Hyon Song-wol, head of the Samjiyon Orchestra.
He said the countries were discussing a request for the delegation to inspect Galma Airport in North Korea's port city of Wonsan. The delegation wants to inspect the airport in case the South's ski team has to enter or leave the North via the airport.
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