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Last South Korean workers leave joint factory zone
[Pak Daily Times] South Korea on Friday withdrew its last remaining workers from a joint industrial zone in  North Korea at risk of permanent closure due to soaring military tensions.It is the first time that Seoul has pulled out all its workers from the flagship project since it was opened in 2004, underscoring the severe deterioration in relations between the two Koreas. The Kaesong Industrial Zone -- located 10 kilometres (six miles) north of the frontier -- was once a rare symbol of cross-border cooperation, but has fallen victim to the stand-off on the Korean Peninsula. Seoul last week ordered all remaining South Koreans to leave after Pyongyang banned entry by southerners, pulled out its own 53,000 workers and rejected the South's call for talks on the impasse. Most South Koreans had left by early Tuesday, and the last seven workers returned Friday after several days of talks with the North over issues such as unpaid wages for North Koreans, the Unification Ministry said. Seoul sent two vehicles loaded with cash over the border as the last workers returned, to make the payments demanded by Pyongyang. Posted by: Fred 2013-05-04 |
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