Seoul offers talks with N. Korea on Kaesong stalemate

South Korea on Thursday extended an offer to hold government-level talks with North Korea over the joint industrial complex that has been idle since early this month amid heightened inter-Korean tensions.

"We are making an official offer to North Korea to discuss ways of normalizing operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex and want to hear their position on the matter before noon Friday," said unification ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk.

"If Pyongyang does not respond by the deadline, Seoul will have no choice but to take serious measures," he said, an indication that South Korea may take a "tough" stance on the industrial complex issue.

If tough actions are taken, it will mark a departure from the country's previously held position of trying to resolve the situation through dialogue, even if it takes time.