The secretive state is developing three special tourism zones that cover two scenic mountains and one of its eastern coastal cities, a South Korean civic group has revealed. Kim Kyu-chol, who heads the South-North Forum, a Seoul-based civic group seeking to promote joint inter-Korean economic projects, said the North is pushing to designate Mount Chilbo and Mount Kumgang as special tourism zones together with Wonsan, a major port city on the country's east coast. However, the news comes as North Korea issued yet another fiery warning to the U.S. Dismissing calls for calm, the statement – issued by the state-run news agency KCNA – said the American proposal for dialogue is "nothing but a sinister scheme."

"The U.S. present policy toward the DPRK has derived from its extreme ignorance and miscalculation of the changed relations of political and military forces on the peninsula," the convoluted statement continued.



"The U.S. is ignorant of the single-minded unity of the army and people of the DPRK around their leader and its might."



The North "has rich experiences and historical tradition of winning only victories in confrontation with the U.S," the statement continues.



The DPRK's possession of nuclear weapons has totally changed the balance of political and military forces in the peninsula and the region, the commentary warned, adding: "The U.S. misjudgment will lead it to its biggest historical defeat."