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Daily NK set out on the 25th to investigate claims that a clearance sale in Seoul was selling products produced at the Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC).
The market was crowded despite the cold weather. Several posters and banners were displayed, reading, “Fire Sale,” and “KIC Reopens.” The majority of goods on offer were good quality and reasonably priced, with some items discounted by up to 90%. Nevertheless, products manufactured at Kaesong were difficult to find.
When a store owner was asked whether his woolen products were made in Kaesong, he replied, “You will have to visit the sportswear stalls to get those products. All of our items are produced locally.” Several other store owners said the same thing.
The market may have been a calculated move to attract attention and boost sales, as it seemed strange not to find products made in North Korea despite explicit advertising to the contrary.
September also saw a sales event in Jongno, downtown Seoul, that attempted to garner support for the restart of the KIC. Customer responses were positive as Han Jae Kwon, President of the KIC Business Association, made an appearance to solicit support from the public.
This clearance sale was most likely an opportunistic move in order to tap into domestic concern over the unilateral shutdown of the complex. No individual store owner spoken to by this reporter had any affiliation with Kaesong itself.
North Korea’s decision to shut down the complex last April threw more than 120 firms into severe financial difficulty, and many still continue to suffer.
