A Mountain of Trouble; Pyongyang's nuclear test has dulled the appeal ofMt. Kumkang as a symbol of Korean solidarity.

Byline: B. J. Lee

Last week the famous autumn leaves of Mt. Kumkang weren't as colorful as they normally are. A hot, dry summer had dulled the foliage, and worse, the scenic mountain was enshrouded by heavy clouds--a harbinger perhaps of the mountain's hazy future. Heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula following Pyongyang's nuclear test in early October have prompted many South Korean tourists to cancel their trips to the mountain resort, leaving numerous

hotel rooms and restaurant seats empty in this peak season. "We originally expected 40,000 tourists in October but the actual number will be half that because of the nuclear test," says Jang Hwan Bin, an executive at Hyundai Asan, the South Korean firm that operates the tour project. "If this business fails, it would be a tragic loss for not only our company but also the whole Korean peninsula."

The problems at Mt. Kumkang highlight the uncertainty these days between the two Koreas. Following a Washington-led U.N. resolution condemning the nuclear test, the international community agreed to limited sanctions on North Korea. U.S. Assistant State Secretary Christopher Hill isn't happy that Mt. Kumkang is a cash cow for the North. Officials in South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun's administration say they might scale down the project, but refuse to close it completely. Last week Pyongyang warned that Seoul would pay "high costs" if it succumbed to U.S. pressures--a threat that was echoed by northerners working at Mt. Kumkang. "Our nuclear weapon is to protect both Koreas from U.S. imperialists," said Kim Hyun Shil, a 23-year-old North Korean guide at the mountain. "The South will fight against U.S. attempts to close the project."

In fact, the site is precious for both Koreas. For the South, it is the most significant achievement of its decade-long "sunshine policy" of engagement with the North. Since 1998, more than 1.3 million southerners have visited the mountain, which is almost sealed off from the rest of the North. In comparison, fewer than 1,000 southerners had visited the North during the previous 50 years. Seoul hopes the project will promote further detente and eventual unification. Southern tourists, particularly young ones, say that ...