South Korea business execs push for Kaesong visit

Jan. 9 (UPI) -- South Korean business executives who were forced to leave assets behind at a jointly operated factory park in North Korea are growing impatient and seeking answers from their government as they plan a visit to the North in mid-January.

Members of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex Emergency Response Committee said they are pushing for a Jan. 16 visit to the North, but the era of "false hopes" must come to an end, EDaily reported Wednesday.

The administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has expressed support for inter-Korea projects, but Kaesong remains closed and inaccessible to South Koreans.

Bolder moves are needed, the business committee said.

"Rather than holding on to an endless string of false hopes, I have thought the government could [instead] provide compensation for losses and damages, following the previous president's [Park Geun-hye] illegal order to shut down the complex," said Chung Ki-sup, chairman of the committee.

Chung added if Seoul does not approve the committee's request to visit Kaesong next week, the move could bring into question the government's willingness to resume operations.

South Korean news service Tongil News reported a total of 179 business executives have applied for permission to visit the North.

The group said it has requested approval for a visit six times, but so far all applications have been turned down.

"We want to go to the Kaesong Industrial Complex," the group said. "The suspension of the factory park took place without any countermeasures, and we are asking to visit to maintain the facilities at the suspended factories."