Koreas discuss Gaeseong complex

South and North Korea went into official talks on their joint factory park in Gaeseong yesterday with a different agenda on mind.

The South has made it clear that it could not discuss at present a raise for North Korean workers which the North insisted on during a workshop last month.

"We will focus on the issues of border passage, customs clearance and telecommunications, as well as accommodations for the workers," said Kim Young-tak, a Unification Ministry official who led the South Korean delegation.

"If the North brings up the wage hikes, we will explain that we can move on to that once these issues are resolved."

Three ministry officials, including Kim, sat down for talks with the North Korean team led by Park Chol-soo, deputy chief of a bureau that oversees the Gaeseong enclave, at 10:30 a.m. yesterday.

During a two-hour morning session, the South suggested simplifying the procedure for border passage by using radio frequency identification tags.

South Korean people and vehicles are currently allowed to cross the border only at a designated hour on a designated date. Seoul proposed setting only the date of the visit to allow transit anytime in the day, according to a ministry official.



"The North said border passage and customs clearance issues should be discussed in military working-level talks," the official said.

"They explained the need to review wages while the South spoke about its own agenda, including building a dormitory for North Korean workers."

The ministry was to announce the outcome later yesterday after an afternoon round of talks.

South Korean companies in Gaeseong pay a monthly salary of about $58, save the social insurance costs, per North Korean worker. Raises are capped at 5 percent per year under an inter-Korean agreement.

The North did not suggest a specific wage level during the morning session.

Yesterday`s talks came just days after President Lee Myung-bak said he may meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il within this year.

The two Koreas reportedly held secret meetings to discuss holding a summit after a high-profile delegation from Pyongyang suggested it in August last year.

Cash-strapped North Korea has been seeking dialogue to revive business and humanitarian aid from South Korea in recent months. It has not refrained from showing hostile reactions, however, to news reports on Seoul`s plans for contingencies in the North or to the defense minister`s remarks on a possible preemptive strike.

The North continued to raise military tension by firing artillery near the disputed inter-Korean maritime border last week, claiming it was part of an annual drill.

(sophie@heraldm.com)



By Kim So-hyun