S. Korea urges N.K. not to arbitrarily use vehicles at Kaesong complex
SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification ministry urged North Korea Friday not to use South Korean vehicles parked at the now-shuttered joint industrial park without permission as the move infringes on local firms' property rights.
NK News reported on Thursday that satellite imagery showed more than 100 South Korean vehicles parked at the Kaesong Industrial Complex had recently disappeared, raising the possibility that North Korea may have transported them somewhere.
South Korean companies failed to take all of their products and equipment out of the complex as North Korea expelled South Korean nationals one day after Seoul shut down the zone on Feb. 10, 2016, in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.
The Ministry of Unification said that signs are detected that the position of vehicles belonging to local firms has changed though it cannot verify where or why they were moved.
"All remaining cars at the factory park belong to South Korean businessmen. North Korea should immediately stop using those vehicles without our authorization as the move is clearly an illegal act that violates local firms' property rights," Lee Eugene, a ministry spokesperson, told a regular press briefing.
The factory zone, once hailed as the symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation, had housed a total of 124 South Korean firms, hiring more than 54,000 North Korean workers to produce labor-intensive goods such as clothes and utensils.
In February, the ministry said that it had identified some "attempts" by North Korean authorities to sneakily take out and sell electric appliances like rice cookers from the complex.
The government said it had asked China to notify its people to not buy goods produced at the industry park if North Korea seeks to sell them.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
'Queen of Tears' weaves rich tapestry of Korean contemporary art
-
Ateez member Yunho throws first pitch at MLB match between Dodgers, Mets
-
N. Korea says Kim guided simulated nuclear counterattack drills for 1st time
-
N. Korea calls envisioned U.S. aid to Ukraine 'hallucinogen'
-
N. Korea calls on party propaganda officials to work harder
-
'Queen of Tears' weaves rich tapestry of Korean contemporary art
-
Experts see possibility of N.K. conducting nuclear test before U.S. presidential vote
-
Details of meeting between Yoon, opposition leader undecided: presidential office
-
N. Korea says Kim guided simulated nuclear counterattack drills for 1st time
-
Looming weekly closure of major hospitals feared to worsen medical service crisis
-
S. Korea eliminated in Olympic football qualifiers as poor defense, undisciplined play prove costly
-
Indonesia coach left with mixed feelings after eliminating native S. Korea in Olympic football qualifiers
-
(LEAD) 10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification
-
ADOR CEO calls conflict with Hybe 'worst experience of my life'
-
S. Korea to acquire SM-3 shipborne missiles by 2030