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S. Korea rejects request by civic aid group to visit N. Korea
By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has turned down a request by an association of civic relief groups to be allowed to visit North Korea, as tension persists between the two countries over the sinking of a South Korean warship, an official said Monday.
The request was made by the Korea NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea, which claims a membership of over 50 South Korean non-governmental organizations sending aid to the North. The group has been seeking to open an office in the North to monitor the distribution of aid donated by its members. Data picture
Lee Jong-joo, spokeswoman for the South's Unification Ministry, said the government would not allow members to travel to North Korea later this week because it would be "inappropriate."
"It was judged that approving the visit would be inappropriate at this point of time" when punitive measures for the March 26 sinking of the Cheonan warship near the Koreas' Yellow Sea border are still in effect, she said in a briefing.
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