By Chung Min-uck
North Korea invited South Korean businessmen and officials to talk about reopening the joint industrial complex in the North's border city of Gaeseong Tuesday.
A statement issued by a spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, the North's body in charge of cross-border affairs with Seoul, said Pyongyang has already approved a plan by South Korean business representatives to visit the industrial complex for its normalization and other purposes.
"We have given permission for the visit and can even discuss the shipment of leftover products at the industrial complex," it said. "If the South Korean entrepreneurs visit the North, discussions can also be had on the normalization of the complex."
The North's committee said it will fully guarantee safe passage of all South Koreans who cross the border for the visit.
"If the South feels uneasy, it can send members of the South Korean Gaeseong Industrial District Management Committee with the businessmen," the statement said.
However, the Ministry of Unification which handles inter-Korean affairs downplayed the remarks, sticking to its position that government-level talks should be held first.
"We are wary of the North's intentions as it is only approaching civilians while rejecting Seoul's calls for talks," said a ministry official. "If the North really has sincerity for mending inter-Korean ties, it should come forward for government-level talks."
The Gaeseong Industrial Complex has remained shut down since early April when the communist country withdrew all of its 53,000 workers employed by 123 small-size South Korean factories operating there. Subsequently, South Korea pulled out its personnel as well.
The North's committee further criticized Seoul for refusing its proposal for joint civilian celebrations of the upcoming anniversary of the June 15, 2000, inter-Korean summit.
"The participation of South Koreans in the event must be permitted and if Seoul is fearful of the gathering triggering internal discord, it can send government officials with the group," it said.
The ministry said it cannot accept the North's proposal of jointly holding the "political event" as it could stir friction within South Korea. The North only invited progressive civic organizations and religious groups in the South that have generally expressed negative views on Seoul's North Korean policies.
Seoul, instead, urged the North to accept its May 14 proposal for a working-level meeting on Gaeseong matters.
The North also declared it has no plans to give up its nuclear ambitions, refusing to accept denuclearization calls from the South, the U.S. and its key ally China.
Seoul and Washington set Pyongyang's denuclearization as a precondition for any engagement.
"In the face of a nuclear threat from the U.S., we are not planning to scrap our war deterrence," said in an article in the Rodong Shinmun, the North Korean ruling Worker's Party's newspaper.
North Korea invited South Korean businessmen and officials to talk about reopening the joint industrial complex in the North's border city of Gaeseong Tuesday.
A statement issued by a spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, the North's body in charge of cross-border affairs with Seoul, said Pyongyang has already approved a plan by South Korean business representatives to visit the industrial complex for its normalization and other purposes.
"We have given permission for the visit and can even discuss the shipment of leftover products at the industrial complex," it said. "If the South Korean entrepreneurs visit the North, discussions can also be had on the normalization of the complex."
The North's committee said it will fully guarantee safe passage of all South Koreans who cross the border for the visit.
"If the South feels uneasy, it can send members of the South Korean Gaeseong Industrial District Management Committee with the businessmen," the statement said.
However, the Ministry of Unification which handles inter-Korean affairs downplayed the remarks, sticking to its position that government-level talks should be held first.
"We are wary of the North's intentions as it is only approaching civilians while rejecting Seoul's calls for talks," said a ministry official. "If the North really has sincerity for mending inter-Korean ties, it should come forward for government-level talks."
The Gaeseong Industrial Complex has remained shut down since early April when the communist country withdrew all of its 53,000 workers employed by 123 small-size South Korean factories operating there. Subsequently, South Korea pulled out its personnel as well.
The North's committee further criticized Seoul for refusing its proposal for joint civilian celebrations of the upcoming anniversary of the June 15, 2000, inter-Korean summit.
"The participation of South Koreans in the event must be permitted and if Seoul is fearful of the gathering triggering internal discord, it can send government officials with the group," it said.
The ministry said it cannot accept the North's proposal of jointly holding the "political event" as it could stir friction within South Korea. The North only invited progressive civic organizations and religious groups in the South that have generally expressed negative views on Seoul's North Korean policies.
Seoul, instead, urged the North to accept its May 14 proposal for a working-level meeting on Gaeseong matters.
The North also declared it has no plans to give up its nuclear ambitions, refusing to accept denuclearization calls from the South, the U.S. and its key ally China.
Seoul and Washington set Pyongyang's denuclearization as a precondition for any engagement.
"In the face of a nuclear threat from the U.S., we are not planning to scrap our war deterrence," said in an article in the Rodong Shinmun, the North Korean ruling Worker's Party's newspaper.
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