SEOUL: North and South Korea failed yesterday to reach agreement on reopening a jointly-run industrial estate, dimming hopes of an early improvement in ties after months of friction.
A third round of talks about the complex, which followed two failed attempts this month, again ended without agreement, Seoul’s chief delegate Kim Ki-Woong said.
But the two sides will meet again on Wednesday, he told reporters.
The latest meeting was held at the suspended Kaesong industrial complex, which opened in 2004 10 kilometres (six miles) north of the heavily-fortified border as a rare symbol of cooperation.
The zone had long remained resilient to turbulence in ties but eventually became the most high-profile victim of the latest flare-up following Pyongyang’s February nuclear test.
The North, citing perceived hostility by the South and its joint army exercises with the US, in April withdrew all its workers and banned entry by southerners, prompting Seoul to pull out its managers in early May.
At a rare meeting earlier this month, the two sides agreed in principle to reopen the estate, where 53,000 North Koreans worked in 123 Seoul-owned factories producing textiles or light industrial goods.
But little progress has been made since then amid squabbles over which side will take responsibility for the suspension, and Pyongyang’s refusal to accept Seoul’s demand for firm safeguards against another unilateral shutdown.
Seoul also wants to allow foreign firms to operate in Kaesong in an apparent bid to make it more difficult for Pyongyang to shut the estate if relations worsen. AFP
