SEOUL, S KOREA - SEOUL on Sunday condemned the killing of a South Korean tourist by a North Korean soldier, saying it cannot be justified, and demanding access to investigate the tragedy.

Pyongyang has expressed regret but refused to apologise over the death of the 53-year-old woman, who was shot twice after straying into a military zone during a dawn beach stroll at a North Korean resort.

'Whatever the reason may be, it cannot be justified,' the South Korean government said Sunday, urging the North to cooperate with an investigation after Pyongyang on Saturday refused access to the scene of the shooting.

'It is the position of our government and people that the reason and truth should be thoroughly revealed because this is a grave issue concerning the life and safety of an innocent civilian,' Seoul said in a statement.

'We urge North Korea to take responsible steps so that such an incident should not repeated.'

South Korea has suspended tours to the scenic east coast resort of Mount Kumgang, opened in 1998 as a symbol of reconciliation, and the tragedy has heightened tensions between the two neighbours.

The North described the suspension of tours, which have earned it millions of dollars over the years, as an 'intolerable insult' and said it would refuse to accept South Korean tourists until it received an apology.

South Korea's President Lee Myung Bak on Saturday condemned the killing, while North Korea blamed the South for the incident.

The North said the tourist had gone 'beyond the clearly marked boundary fence' and intruded deep into the military-controlled area.

It said she fled when challenged and did not stop even when the soldier discharged warning shots, forcing him to open fire.

Appeal for dialogue rebuffed

Pyongyang also rejected an appeal by Mr Lee for better relations as 'clumsy wordplay', further heightening tensions following the killing of a South Korean tourist.

The South's new leader Lee on Friday made a public offer of talks with Pyongyang in a speech delivered to Parliament just hours after he learned of the shooting incident.

But the North firmly rejected the olive branch on Sunday with a commentary in state newspaper Rodong Sinmun saying Mr Lee's offer 'does not deserve even the slightest notice'.

'With deceptive words Lee Myung Bak is trying to avoid responsibility for straining relations between North and South Korea and to ride out a (domestic political) crisis... but that's a miscalculation,' it said.

The paper called Mr Lee a 'traitor' and described his offer as 'clumsy wordplay' aimed at avoiding responsibility for strained inter-Korean relations.

Ties between the neighbours worsened after Mr Lee took office in February promising a tougher line on Pyongyang. The North has since suspended government-to-government dialogue.

Mr Lee last weekend restated his willingness to meet the North's leader Kim Jong Il 'as many times as I can' to improve relations.

But the North said it was 'preposterous' for him to make such a suggestion when he had ignored 'important declarations' at previous summits.

The North has also rebuffed Seoul's offers of food aid despite serious food shortages this year. -- AFP