Shin Han-yong (L), head of an organization of businessmen who operated in the now-suspended Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, calls for the early reopening of the park on August 13. Photo by Yonhap
SEOUL, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- North and South Korea are discussing approving a visit by South Korean businessmen to an industrial complex in North Korea after multiple requests by the investors to revisit their factories.
"The businessmen have repeatedly requested to revisit the industrial park to check their factories. The government is discussing with North Korea in consideration of their property rights and the need to check their assets," said Paik Tae-hyun, spokesman of the unification ministry on Wednesday.
The factory owners were forced to withdraw from the Kaeseong industrial complex amid tensions from North Korea's nuclear and missile tests in 2016.
The South Korean government shut down the industrial park, citing that the wages paid to North Korean workers at South Korean factories were taken to the Pyongyang regime and used to develop nuclear weapons.
The South Korean investors, who own factories in the suspended-Kaeseong industrial complex, have made six requests to the government to allow their visit to factories since its closure. The government, however, has deferred their requests.
In diplomatic détente between Pyongyang and Seoul, the South Korean president and North Korean leader agreed to work towards resuming operation at the Kaeseong industrial complex and the Mount Kumkang tour program at their September summit in Pyongyang.
South Korea's presidential office, however, said that the visit does not mean reopening the industrial park.
"It won't be reopened until sanctions on North Korea is lifted," said its spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom to reporters in a briefing.
