Hyundai Group chairwoman and CEO Hyun Jeong-eun on Monday said the resumption of inter-Korean tourism at the Mount Kumgang resort by the end of the year would be “difficult.”

In comments following a two-day event at the resort to mark the 20th anniversary of the beginning of inter-Korean tourism, Hyun appeared to backtrack on a previous claim that her company and North Korean authorities expected to restart joint work in the area by the end of 2018.

“We are in a difficult situation to resume tourism within the year at this point, but I believe it will take place before long,” she said