北朝鮮、金剛山を「世界がうらやむ行楽地」に　再開発計画

【ソウルＡＦＰ＝時事】北朝鮮の国営メディアは20日、政府が金剛山にある観光施設を国際的な行楽地に再開発する計画だと報じた。この施設は韓国企業が建設したもので、金正恩（キム・ジョンウン）朝鮮労働党委員長が取り壊しを命じていた。（写真は金剛山観光地区を視察する金正恩＜キム・ジョンウン＞朝鮮労働党委員長＜左＞。国営朝鮮中央通信＜KCNA＞配信）
　かつては南北朝鮮の経済協力の象徴として広く知られていたこの施設は、韓国企業「現代峨山」が建設したもので、韓国から数十万人の観光客が訪れた。
　しかし、金委員長は昨年、韓国との共同開発は目障りであり、「みすぼらしい」この施設は「被災地の仮設テント、あるいは隔離病棟」のようだと非難し、施設の取り壊しを命じた。
　国営朝鮮中央通信（ＫＣＮＡ）は２０日、金徳訓（キム・ドクフン）首相が金剛山の観光地区を視察し、「全世界がうらやむ文化的行楽地」にすべく「われわれらしいやり方で再開発する必要」があると強調したと報じた。
　韓国の首都ソウルにある梨花女子大学のレイフエリック・イーズリー准教授は、「金政権は金剛山再開発の資金確保に苦労することになり、海外からの投資を必要としているが、韓国の提携企業や出資者との関係を軽視することを示唆している」と指摘。
　金委員長は再開発に関与することへの韓国政府の期待を危険にさらすことで、「韓国の文在寅（ムン・ジェイン）政権が北朝鮮への財政援助を再開する方法を模索するよう圧力をかけている」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/12/21-15:16）

Pyongyang plans to redevelop its flagship Mount Kumgang tourist complex into an international resort, a year after leader Kim Jong Un ordered South Korean-built buildings there demolished, state media reported Sunday.
The resort -- once a prominent symbol of inter-Korean economic cooperation -- was built by South Korea's Hyundai Asan on one of the North's most scenic mountains, drawing hundreds of thousands of Southern visitors.
But last year Kim condemned the development with the South as an eyesore and described facilities there as shabby and built like makeshift tents in a disaster-stricken area or isolation wards, ordering their removal.
On Sunday, the official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Tok Hun, the North's premier, stressed the need to build the tourist area our own way to turn it into a cultural resort envied by the whole world, during his visit to the area.
He also called for pushing ahead to turn the area into a modern and all-inclusive international tourist resort, it added.
The Mount Kumgang complex was once one of the two biggest inter-Korean projects, along with the now-shuttered Kaesong Industrial Complex, where Southern companies employed North Korean workers while paying Pyongyang for their services.
But its tours came to an abrupt end in 2008 after a North Korean soldier shot dead a tourist from the South who strayed off an approved path, and Seoul suspended travel.
The reclusive North has long wanted to resume the lucrative visits, but they would now violate international sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes -- although the South's President Moon Jae-in has long championed engagement with Pyongyang.
In June, the North blew up a liaison office with the South on its side of the border -- paid for by Seoul -- saying it had no interest in talks.
The Kim regime will struggle to find the resources to redevelop Mt. Kumgang and needs outside investment, but is signalling it will downgrade South Korean partners and stakeholders, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
By holding Seoul's hopes for engagement at risk, Kim is pressuring the Moon administration to find ways of resuming financial benefits for the North.