A North Korean soldier on Friday shot dead a female South Korean tourist who was taking a morning stroll at a resort in the communist state, officials said.

Seoul called the incident "deeply regrettable" and suspended tours to the Mount Kumgang resort, one of only a few sites in North Korea open to South Korean visitors. It called for a full investigation into the tragedy.

The shooting was the first incident of its kind since tours to the resort began in 1998.

It came on the same day that South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak offered to hold talks with the North to end months of hostility between the two governments.

The North told the South Korean tour operator that the 53-year-old woman was walking on the beach when she strayed into an off-limits military zone. It said she fled despite a warning to halt and was shot in the chest and the leg.

The incident happened at around 5:00am (2000 GMT Thursday). The body was later handed over to the South, and taken to a hospital in Sokcho.

"We find it deeply regrettable that a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier," said Kim Ho-Nyoun, spokesman for the unification ministry, which handles cross-border relations.

"We express deep condolences."

Kim urged North Korea to cooperate fully in investigating the tragedy.

"Until the completion of the investigation, tours to Kumgang will be suspended," the spokesman said.

Media reports identified the married woman as Park Wang-Ja.

Kim Jung-Tae, another official at the briefing, said the Seoul government would launch its own investigation as soon as possible.

He said there had been no official word from the North about the matter, noting: "We will send a telephone message to North Korea at an early date."

About 1.8 million people, mostly South Koreans, have visited Mount Kumgang since tours began in late 1998. It was developed by South Korea's Hyundai Group and is operated by subsidiary Hyundai Asan.

"We understand Park entered the zone without knowing that it is off-limits during her early hours stroll," a Hyundai Asan official told Yonhap news agency.

Kumgang means Diamond Mountain and is considered the peninsula's prime beauty spot. It is one of two major joint projects aimed at promoting reconciliation, along with the Kaesong industrial estate just north of the border near the west coast.

Hyundai Asan also operates tours to Kaesong city near the industrial estate. Kim Jung-Tae said those would not be affected.