It seems that North Korea wants to stop being so reclusive and start rebuilding its tourism links with South Korea. Reports show that North Korea has proposed talks with South Korea about resuming tourism projects in a bid to rebuild the cash strapped country’s once lucrative tourism economy.

North Korea has lost out on tens of millions of dollars a year, which it once earned through inbound tourism from South Korea. Back in July of 2008, a South Korean woman who was on vacation in North Korea was shot dead at Mount Kumgang resort by North Korea’s army. Apparently the poor woman had strayed into a poorly marked closed military zone while on a stroll. After that, South Korea suspended the tours of North Korea.

KCNA said that it was very regrettable that tours of Mt. Kumgang and the area of Kaesong have been suspended for one and a half years. He added that North Korea proposes talks for January 26^th and the 27^th at the Mount Kumgang resort.

The proposal, which was disclosed in a dispatch by the North’s official KCNA news agency, came on the same day the divided nations agreed to hold separate talks on a joint industrial project. The Mount Kumgang tours have earned some $487 million in fees for the north since they started back in 1998. Cross border visitors could also previously take day trips to the historic city of Kaesong just across the frontier.

All of the cross border projects are run by South Korea’s Hyundai Asan company. However, this is a company that has lost millions of dollars since the tours were suspended.