Yesterday, North Korea abruptly postponed today’s meeting of one Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC) subcommittee, where it was expected that passage, communication and customs issues would be deliberated. The Ministry of Unification announced the news late yesterday, saying, “North Korea notified us that the scheduled subcommittee meeting is postponed. No specific reason was given.”

Some both within and without the South Korean government have raised the possibility that the most recent move reveals an internal rift in North Korea over the use of mobile phones and Internet within the complex. A lack of consensus over the proposed introduction of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has also been put forward.

At the same time, others suggest that today’s cancellation simply signifies North Korea’s desire to keep slowly raising tensions with the South, and is a logical follow-up to Pyongyang’s unilateral postponement of a fresh round of separated family reunions.

Meanwhile, a second subcommittee meeting related to sojourn issues was expected to proceed on schedule today. Items on the table for debate include personal safety assurances for South Korean personnel, conditions of entry and protocol in terms of investigating crimes. An agreement between North and South on the right to legal assistance in cases of crime is imperative, but has not yet been reached.

Elswhere, South Korea’s push for greater internationalization in the Kaesong Complex is making modest headway. Two firms, Korea’s Samduk Tongsang and the German firm ME & Friends AG were to meet in Kaesong today to discuss a potential joint venture project.