February 15, 2003	Saturday	Zul Hijjah 13, 1423

SEOUL, Feb 14: South and North Korea launched a landmark cross-border tour overland for the first time in five decades on Friday, but tensions over the North’s nuclear programmes hampered their peace talks.

Negotiators from both Koreas wrapping up their three-day talks in Seoul reported no progress as the South’s bid to use the economic cooperation meeting to ease the nuclear tensions failed.

But on the east coast of their heavily-fortified border, both Koreas took a major step towards peace when they allowed hundreds of civilians to travel overland to the North.

The group of 498 South Koreans was seen off by hundreds of people ahead of their historic trip to North Korea’s Mount Kumgang via the east coast border, Seoul’s cable television news channel YTN showed.

Fireworks exploded and balloons were released when a convoy of 20 buses carrying the tourists rolled into North Korea with nearby hills and fields still under cover of snow.—AFP