SEOUL, July 29 (Itar-Tass) - South Korea has sent a formal letter to North Korea on Monday, proposing to hold “final talks” over resolution of the situation at inter-Korean industrial complex in the border city of Kaesong. This was reported by South Korean Ministry of Unification on Monday.
The letter was passed through the communication line at the border checkpoint Panmunjom and received by North Korea, the ministry said. It does not contain any specific proposals concerning date or venue of the final round of negotiations. The document “has made an appeal to North Korea to give a quick response to negotiations invitation,” the South Korean Ministry of Unification said.
The negotiations over the Kaesong industrial complex were interrupted last Thursday after six fruitless attempts to agree on the industrial zone reopening, as well as discuss North Korea’s threat to put this territory under its control. Kaesong industrial complex is situated ten km north of the demilitarized zone. Forces of the Korean People’s Army have earlier occupied this territory.
If North Korea doesn’t give a clear reply to South Korea’s request and give guarantees that this inter-Korean joint venture will not be shut down unilaterally in the future, South Korea will have to take “a serious decision,” the South Korean Ministry of Unification said.
An official of the South Korean ministry did not disclose what measures these will be specifically. However, Seoul leaves open the possibility for shutting down the Kaesong industrial complex, the Yonhap news agency reported.
After North Korean authorities shut down access to the Kaesong industrial complex for 53,000 North Koreans working there, the losses of 123 South Korean companies, which operate their factories in Kaesong, reached 1.05 trillion won ($935 million).