South Korea Warns, Offers North Talks

Local Editor

South Korea on Thursday formally offered North Korea talks on suspended operations at their joint Kaesong industrial zone, and hinted it might pull out entirely if Pyongyang declines.

The South said it was offering working-level talks to resolve the impasse over Kaesong, a rare symbol of inter-Korean cooperation that has become the most notable victim of escalating military tensions on the Korean peninsula.
But the offer came with an ultimatum of unspecified "significant measures" if Pyongyang fails to accept the proposal within 24 hours.

"There is no change on our stance to support the stable operation and improvement" of Kaesong, Unification Ministry Spokesman Kim Hyung-Seok said.
"But we cannot let this situation continue as it is," he added. "If North Korea rejects our proposal... we have no choice but to take significant measures."
Kim did not elaborate on what steps might be taken, but the ultimatum suggested South Korea was considering a permanent withdrawal from the zone, which normally employs 53,000 workers at 123 South Korean companies.

The talks proposed by Seoul would be between the respective heads of the North and South committees that oversee Kaesong operations.

The proposal came a day after Seoul announced pan-governmental action to help firms with factories in Kaesong deal with liquidity problems caused by lost production and the cancellation of orders.
The project was born out the "Sunshine Policy" of inter-Korean conciliation initiated in the late 1990s by South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung which led to a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il in 2000.

There are currently 176 South Korean staff still in Kaesong, compared with the usual number of around 850.

Usually hundreds of South Korean managers and other workers pass through the border crossing leading to Kaesong every day.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org