Reason for last-minute inclusion of S. Korean journalists for Punggye-ri coverage

남측 기자단 제외했다가 마지막 순간에 접수... 북한 속내는?

Since last week, North Korea did not repond to the South's request to send reporters to cover the event that symbolize the regime's commitment to denculearize
At one point it seemed to be excluding Seoul... but made a last minute shift in stance.
Oh Jung-hee delves deeper to find out what could be the reason behind this.
An abrupt notice from Seoul's unification ministry late Tuesday night.
It said South Korea would try once again on Wednesday... to deliver to North Korea the names of the South Korean journalists covering the dismantling of the nuclear test site.
It went further to suggest... that if Pyongyang accepts the list, then the reporters would be able to fly to Wonsan directly.
The message raised speculation... that the two Koreas might have reached an agreement... to have the South Korean reporters cover the event.

And another significant remark came earlier on Tuesday... from a North Korean reporter from the ruling party newspaper.
At the Chinese airport, he told South Korean media:

"There are always special cases and we sometimes do things in an unexpected way. I think there could be good news if you keep hope and wait until tomorrow."

Eventually on Wednesday morning, right after the inter-Korean daily contact channel opened,... North Korea accepted the list of South Korean reporters -- a last-minute change.
Since unilaterally calling off last week's high-level talks,... Pyongyang has raised several issues against the South... including the South Korea-U.S. joint aerial drills.
Some think that Pyongyang wanted to pressure Seoul to mediate and alleviate the tough stance from the U.S.
And this may be the same reason why the North decided to include South Korea in the coverage of the dismantling of the test site.

"North Korea could have thought that it got its message across to South Korea. And if it completely excludes Seoul from this event, then South Korea loses its power as a mediator when that's what Pyongyang really needs the most. So the North has left room for that."

Some view that Pyongyang didn't aim to completely leave out the South Korean journalists.
Local authorities kept other foreign journalists in Wonsan, saying they couldn't leave for Punggye-ri due to bad weather,... when the sky was actually clear.
And according to the reporters in Wonsan,... name cards for the South Korean journalists had been prepared at the press center.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.