1,970 South Koreans Currently in NK

There were 1,970 South Korean citizens in North Korea at noon on June 15, while 24 ships - two Kumgang Mountain tour boats, 19 construction vessels and three fertilizer transport ships - were in NK water, the Ministry of Unification reported.
There are four categories of South Koreans in NK: 1,694 Kumgang Mountain tourists, 203 on the light-water reactor construction site, 50 fertilizer aid workers and 23 from the business sector.
A Ministry official said, 'The Kumgang mountain tours and the fertilizer transportation projects are continuing normally as arranged. We are devising contingency plans to assure the safety of South Koreans in NK.'
So far, 21,000 tons of fertilizer have been sent to NK.
The number of South Koreans in NK is likely to increase as a tour boat, the Bongrae-ho, carrying 637 tourists and 126 crew members, will depart for NK from Tonghae Harbor at 5:30 pm on June 16, and a ship transporting fertilizer will arrive at Nampo harbor, NK early in the same day.
Jooan Kang : jooan@joongang.co.kr