Representative of the Citizen’s Solidarity for Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Kim Gyu Chul reported on the 23rd that on Monday North Korea may send the South a notice about “the first expulsions” of Kaesong Industrial Complex Management Committee and Korea Land Corporation staff.
Kim received the information last Thursday, the 20th.
He foresaw that, “North Korea believes that the degree of benefit to be gained from the second business process (a proposed period of expansion) in the Kaesong Complex is uncertain. Three or four out of twelve Korea Land Corporation workers and around nine of forty-five from the Kaesong Complex Management Committee may be expelled.”
Kim explained the backdrop to the North’s decision, “North Korea takes the view that there is no probability of benefit from the Lee Myung Bak administration policy on North Korea. Furthermore, when the Policy Manager of the North Korean National Defense Commission Kim Young Cheol visited Kaesong on the 6th he questioned the presence of the two companies concerned, asking, ‘Is there any need for the Korea Land Corporation to stay in the Kaesong Complex when the second business process will not continue?’” He relayed news that, “As I understand it, North Korea has already decided that they will expel South Korean affiliates from the Kaesong Complex.”
He noted that, “North Korean advisers are dispatched to the Korea Land Corporation, Hyundail Asan and the Guidance Bureau. Recently, one of the advisers from the Guidance Bureau went back to Pyongyang. It implies that North Korea’s plan will become clear soon.”
According to Kim’s prediction, likely steps in North Korea’s pressure scenario are to strengthen regulations on passage to and from Kaesong, expel standing staff, put pressure on the enterprises, and lastly to remove facilities.
