(LEAD) Foreign reporters face hurdles covering N.K. party congress
(ATTN: ADDS para 5, UPDATES last para)
SEOUL, May 6 (Yonhap) -- Foreign reporters in North Korea to cover Pyongyang's first party congress in more than three decades were restricted from covering the event, sources said Friday.
The congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) comes as North Korea was slapped with tougher sanctions by the U.N. Security Council in March over its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch early this year.
Around 120 foreign reporters from Japan, China, and other western countries are currently staying in Pyongyang to cover the event, invited by the North Korean government.
The foreign journalists reportedly said they were banned from entering the venue of the party congress, "the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang."
Reports also showed the journalists were sent to take a tour of a wire factory instead of the venue.
Sources said the reporters were restricted to being 200 meters away from the venue.
North Korean media have not delivered news on the opening of the event. The Korean Central TV Broadcasting Station also did not make related statements on its news aired at 8:00 p.m. (Pyongyang time).
colin@yna.co.kr
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