Hyundai Asan announced on Feb. 7 that it will hold a commemorative event at Mt. Geumgang on Feb. 8 ~9 to mark its 20th founding anniversary.
About 20 executives and employees of Hyundai Asan, including CEO Bae Kook-hwan, will visit Mt.Geumgang for two days from Feb. 8 to 9 to hold a commemorative ceremony and a dinner.
A Hyundai Asan official said, "Considering the symbolism of the 20th anniversary of its founding, the North has been accepted with pleasure," adding, "It will be an event that will reflect on Hyundai Asan's 20 years of inter-Korean economic cooperation and strengthen the determination of normalizing its business and making a new leap forward."
Hyundai Asan was established as a special affiliate of Hyundai Group's inter-Korean economic cooperation project in February 1998. It has established itself as a leading company in inter-Korean economic cooperation by realizing the agreement on the North's SOC projects, including the seven major business rights, the construction of the Gaesong Industrial Complex, and the Gaeseong tourism and Mt. Baekdu tourism agreement.
With U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreeing to hold a two-day summit in Vietnam from Feb. 27, expectations for the resumption of economic cooperation between the two Koreas have been growing as North Korea allowed Hyundai Asan to hold the event.
Hyundai Asan is the main business operator of Mt. Geumgang tourism. During the recent working-level talks held in Stockholm, Sweden, the U.S. and North Korea reportedly discussed recognizing the tour as an "exception card" of the sanctions against North Korea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also said in his New Year`s speech this year that he is willing to resume the operation of Gaeseong Industrial Complex and tours to Mt. Geumgang without any preconditions or consideration. Therefore, some predict that the tour could resume early.