By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter

South and North Korea held a fourth round of working-level talks over the operation of a joint industrial complex in the North Monday but failed to narrow their differences.

At the talks held at the Gaeseong complex, Seoul wanted to put issues regarding telecommunications, customs clearance, immigration and a dormitory on the table.

But Pyongyang attempted to push those items back until inter-Korean military talks which has yet to be scheduled.

The North, instead, demanded that salaries of about 38,000 North Korean workers at the complex be increased and a dormitory be built at the site, an official of the South Korean Ministry of Unification said.

"In a keynote speech, our chief delegate noted the necessity to improve systems regarding telecommunications, customs and immigration," the official said, requesting anonymity.

The South proposed introducing a cross-border passage procedure using radio-frequency identification (RFID) to help employees enter and leave the industrial park at any time, he added.

"Under the current system, workers and visitors can only enter the complex at a certain time. If they miss the time, they have to wait several days for another permit," he said.

"So, we suggested the simplified passage procedure under which South Koreans can visit the North at any time."

However, the North insisted that those issues should be dealt with during military talks.

The reclusive state proposed having the military talks on Jan. 26 but the South reset the date to Feb. 8. The North has yet to respond to the offer.

"North Korea insisted that these working-level talks be centered on the pay hike issue," the official said.

But Pyongyang did not elaborate on the salary increase, he said.

Last year, the North demanded that the monthly pay be quadrupled to $300 from the current $57.80 with social insurance costs excluded, and asked for $500 million in rent for the 50-year use of the land the complex occupies.

During the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration, the two Koreas agreed to construct a dormitory to accommodate North Korean workers as part of efforts to solve a labor force shortage.

But the construction has been delayed as the North unilaterally cut off inter-Korean communication channels in 2008 in retaliation for the Lee Myung-bak administration's tough stance on the North Korean nuclear impasse.

ksy@koreatimes.co.kr