The United States on Thursday reiterated its support for President Park Geun-hye's decision to shut down an inter-Korean industrial complex in North Korea in response to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests.

"We support President Park's approach toward North Korea and respect her resolve in shutting down the Gaesong complex in the face of DPRK's recent destabilizing actions on the peninsula,"

State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said at a regular briefing.

"We think that her decision reflects growing concern in the region about North Korea's flagrant disregard for multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," he said.

Earlier this week, South Korea decided to shut down the jointly run industrial complex in the North Korean border city of Gaesong, bringing to an end the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean detente that once boomed following the first-ever summit between the two Koreas in 2000.

The decision was seen as the strongest non-military measure that South Korea could take against the North.

North Korea responded by expelling South Korean personnel from the factory park, seizing all factory assets and cutting off crucial cross-border communication hotlines.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel welcomed the decision, saying it is "consistent with" the international community's view that more steps are necessary to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear and missile programs. (Yonhap)