A group of South Korean officials and businessmen traveled Wednesday to a troubled mountain resort just north of the border between the two Koreas co-developed with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The trip was a response to the DPRK's demand earlier this month that South Korean business operators visit the resort at Mount Kumgang to discuss "the matter of disposing" South Korean- owned assets seized by Pyongyang.

The DPRK's unilateral seizure of South Korean properties came after South Korea suspended tours to the scenic mountain in 2008, once a rare source of hard cash for Pyongyang, following the killing of a female tourist there.

Seoul has refused to resume the tours without a proper investigation into the death and safety guarantees, prompting Pyongyang to seize and freeze South Korean properties worth 359.3 billion won (US$325.5 million).

South Korea's unification ministry said the visit is aimed at confirming Pyongyang's position on property issues and protecting South Korean business interest, adding business contracts and inter-Korean governmental agreements regarding the tours must be respected.

The 12 officials and businessmen are scheduled to return home later in the day.