North Koreans find Paleolithic-era tools, state media says

July 29 (UPI) -- North Korea state media says the regime has excavated remains dating from the Paleolithic period near the Yesong river in North Hwanghae Province.

Pyongyang's state-controlled news agency KCNA reported Monday a team of researchers of the history department at Kim Il Sung University unearthed the remains.

"Using past experience of excavating natural caves as a foundation, the researchers of Kim Il Sung University's history department intensified research to produce scientific explanations for the remains. The preserved remains have been recorded," KCNA said.

State media also said the findings mark the first time North Korean researchers have unearthed remains at the Yesong river.

The North Koreans found "five stone tools of three different types, three tools made of animal bones and 15 kinds of 732 mammal fossils," according to the state news agency.

The fossils include those of field mice, weasels, deer and bear. The remains are evidence the area was "lush grasslands, hills and wetlands" during the prehistoric era, KCNA said.

"The new excavations confirm our ancestors have been living in a broader area that includes the Yesong river basin," KCNA said.

The report comes about two weeks after North Korea said a team of archaeologists excavated "hunting grounds" in Sinpung-ri, Sukchon County, South Pyongan Province that dated between 15,000 and 50,000 years.

North Korea has previously invited the South for joint excavations in the country, but the regime has yet to increase engagement despite a recent summit at the border involving Kim Jong Un, U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The two Koreas previously joined forces to excavate ancient artifacts dating from the medieval Goryeo Dynasty.

News 1 reported Monday South Korean archaeologists have excavated Goryeo-era artifacts in Inje county, in the South.

More than 100 relics have been found at a site believed to have been the target of external invasions from Mongolia and Japan, the report said.