A group of South Korean historians and cultural artifact experts traveled to North Korea on Monday to conduct a joint safety survey of the site of an ancient royal palace in the communist state, officials said.

The visit was to follow up on a meeting held in North Korea on Oct. 28 between historians of the two Koreas in which they reached a consensus for a quick resumption of a long-stalled inter-Korean project to excavate the site.

The two Koreas launched the project to uncover the remains of Manwoldae, the royal palace of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), in the North Korean border town of Gaeseong in 2007. But the South halted it last year as part of its sanctions against Pyongyang for the March sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on the North.

After looking around the site during the latest visit, the South Korean delegates concluded that they need to take emergency measures to better preserve the site because it had suffered serious flood damage in the summer.

During their 10-day stay in Gaeseong, the South Koreans will conduct a safety survey and take necessary safety measures on the site with their North Korean counterparts, according to Seoul officials who allowed the visit.

Based on the results of the survey, the joint excavation work may begin on Nov. 24 for a monthlong run, they said.

Gaeseong served as the capital for most of Goryeo’s reign. It is now home to an industrial complex run by both Koreas.

More than 47,000 North Koreans work for South Korean firms in the Gaeseong complex to produce clothes, utensils, watches and other goods. The project serves as a key legitimate cash cow for the impoverished communist country. 

(Yonhap News)