S. Korea pitches to N. Korea for 'final talks' on industrial complex

SEOUL, July 29 (UPI) -- South Korea proposed to North Korea Monday what it called final talks to resolve issues keeping the countries' joint industrial complex in Kaesong closed.

The South's Ministry of Unification said North Korean officials had received the overture sent through a communication line at the neutral border village of Panmunjom but had not responded, Yonhap News Agency reported. The ministry said no date or location was suggested for the proposed negotiations.

"The message calls on the North to respond promptly to the talks proposal," the ministry said.

Yonhap said the silence from Pyongyang could mean the North Koreans were taking their time to review the proposal.

On Sunday, Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae called for a push by both sides to resolve outstanding differences after six rounds of talks held this month. If the North doesn't agree to move forward with negotiations, the South would be left to make a "grave" decision.

He didn't say what steps Seoul would take, Yonhap said.

The Kaesong industrial complex, the only economic tie between the two nations, has been closed since April as tensions have escalated. The North contends it was forced to take action by South Korea's provocation, including its joint military exercises with the United States, Voice of America reported. The South wants the North to accept responsibility for the closure and needs assurances the complex will not be shut down again unilaterally in the future over political issues, VOA said.

"Seoul's stance is that the North must make clear it will not restrict movement in and out of the complex or unilaterally pull out workers as it did in the past," Yonhap quoted Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk as saying.

VOA said Ryoo also announced Seoul would approve five shipments of humanitarian aid to the North.