This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/world/asia/north-korea-and-south-korea.html

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Korean Pact on Factories Could Lead to Reopening Korean Pact on Factories Could Lead to Reopening
(about 2 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea agreed on Sunday to allow factory managers from the South to return to a jointly operated industrial park in the North for the first time in two months, but they said more talks were needed before the park, a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation, could be reopened.SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea agreed on Sunday to allow factory managers from the South to return to a jointly operated industrial park in the North for the first time in two months, but they said more talks were needed before the park, a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation, could be reopened.
The South Korean factory managers will be allowed to visit the park, the Kaesong Industrial Zone, in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, starting Wednesday to retrieve finished goods and production materials. They also will begin urgent maintenance work on the long-idled factories ahead of the possible resumption of operations.The South Korean factory managers will be allowed to visit the park, the Kaesong Industrial Zone, in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, starting Wednesday to retrieve finished goods and production materials. They also will begin urgent maintenance work on the long-idled factories ahead of the possible resumption of operations.
“The South and the North reached the agreement to help relieve the difficulties faced by the factory owners while sharing an understanding for the productive normalization of the Kaesong Industrial Zone,” both Koreas said in a joint statement on Sunday after overnight negotiations.“The South and the North reached the agreement to help relieve the difficulties faced by the factory owners while sharing an understanding for the productive normalization of the Kaesong Industrial Zone,” both Koreas said in a joint statement on Sunday after overnight negotiations.
The statement said that officials from the two sides would meet again on Wednesday at Kaesong to discuss the terms of reopening the complex.The statement said that officials from the two sides would meet again on Wednesday at Kaesong to discuss the terms of reopening the complex.
The agreement is a sign that the two Koreas are easing tensions and edging toward a thaw after months of hostile exchanges, which reached a peak when the North threatened to attack the South with nuclear weapons and the South countered with warnings of counterattacks.The agreement is a sign that the two Koreas are easing tensions and edging toward a thaw after months of hostile exchanges, which reached a peak when the North threatened to attack the South with nuclear weapons and the South countered with warnings of counterattacks.
The Kaesong industrial park, just north of the heavily armed border, had been the last and best-known joint project of economic cooperation between the North and South until the North pulled out all its 53,000 workers in April. The South responded by withdrawing its factory managers and engineers at the end of April.The Kaesong industrial park, just north of the heavily armed border, had been the last and best-known joint project of economic cooperation between the North and South until the North pulled out all its 53,000 workers in April. The South responded by withdrawing its factory managers and engineers at the end of April.
Both Koreas have since locked themselves in a tense standoff that has also become a test of wills for the two relatively new governments in the North and South.Both Koreas have since locked themselves in a tense standoff that has also become a test of wills for the two relatively new governments in the North and South.
The North has threatened to shut down the complex for good. The industrial park had been the only successful economic project of its kind for the isolated North. Its permanent closing would not only deprive North Korea of an important source of badly needed hard currency but also could scare away foreign investors that its young leader, Kim Jong-un, wanted to attract.The North has threatened to shut down the complex for good. The industrial park had been the only successful economic project of its kind for the isolated North. Its permanent closing would not only deprive North Korea of an important source of badly needed hard currency but also could scare away foreign investors that its young leader, Kim Jong-un, wanted to attract.
The conservative South Korean government, whose tough stand on North Korea remains popular among its people, insists that it has no intention of reopening the factory park unless North Korea convinces the South that it will never again shut it down arbitrarily for political reasons. But the Kaesong complex remained the last remaining toehold for South Korea’s efforts to use economic cooperation to help the North open up and move eventually toward the reunification of the peninsula.The conservative South Korean government, whose tough stand on North Korea remains popular among its people, insists that it has no intention of reopening the factory park unless North Korea convinces the South that it will never again shut it down arbitrarily for political reasons. But the Kaesong complex remained the last remaining toehold for South Korea’s efforts to use economic cooperation to help the North open up and move eventually toward the reunification of the peninsula.
The South Korean demand for North Korea’s assurance that it would not sacrifice the factory park again for political reasons proved the most contentious issue during the border talks that started on Saturday at the border village of Panmunjom. In the border talks that started Saturday at the border village of Panmunjom, the most contentious issue was the South Korean demand for North Korea’s assurance that it would not sacrifice the factory park again for political reasons.
But time was running out for both governments, forcing them to reach the temporary compromise. With the onset of the rainy season, factory managers said that their idled facilities would start deteriorating unless they were restarted soon. But time was running out for both governments, forcing them to reach the temporary compromise. With the onset of the rainy season, factory managers said that their long-idled facilities would start deteriorating unless they were restarted soon.
Last week, they urged the two Korean governments to reopen the complex soon or allow them to disassemble their facilities and relocate them elsewhere in Asia.Last week, they urged the two Korean governments to reopen the complex soon or allow them to disassemble their facilities and relocate them elsewhere in Asia.
During the meeting, North Korean officials insisted that the two sides first discuss allowing South Korean engineers to return to Kaesong for maintenance work on their long-idled plants, according to a pool report by South Korean journalists from the border village of Panmunjom, the site of the talks. During the meeting, North Korean officials insisted that the two sides first discuss allowing South Korean engineers to return to Kaesong for maintenance work on their plants, according to a pool report by South Korean journalists from Panmunjom, the site of the talks.
“Most urgent is how we prevent the damage from the monsoon season,” the report quoted Pak Chol-su, the chief North Korean delegate, as saying.“Most urgent is how we prevent the damage from the monsoon season,” the report quoted Pak Chol-su, the chief North Korean delegate, as saying.
But South Korea called on the North to honor “norms in international business,” demanding that it first allow South Korean factory owners to retrieve finished goods and raw materials from Kaesong to help relieve their financial difficulties.But South Korea called on the North to honor “norms in international business,” demanding that it first allow South Korean factory owners to retrieve finished goods and raw materials from Kaesong to help relieve their financial difficulties.
“The North must clarify its position on the damage it had caused by unilaterally shutting down the industrial complex and must provide a clear assurance that it will never happen again,” the South Korean pool report quoted Suh Ho, the chief South Korean delegate, as saying.“The North must clarify its position on the damage it had caused by unilaterally shutting down the industrial complex and must provide a clear assurance that it will never happen again,” the South Korean pool report quoted Suh Ho, the chief South Korean delegate, as saying.