Calls rise to reopen Gaeseong complex for mask production

Citizens buy face masks from an individual seller in front of a pharmacy in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Monday, the first day of the government-led new mask purchase rules, which were not quite effective to satisfy high demand. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

By Jung Da-min

Calls have been risen to restart operations at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex to produce face masks and anti-contamination suits, which both North and South Korea are short of, amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

On Wednesday, the Busan Metropolitan Council urged the government to start producing masks at the border-town factory complex.

Such calls came as the South is still facing a mask shortage despite factories here producing about 10 million per day.

According to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex Corporations Association, which is promoting the call, there is a manufacturer able to produce about 1 million disposable face masks per month, as well as 50 manufacturers of multi-use cotton masks in the complex.

“With 35,000 North Korean workers, the complex can mass produce masks, dealing with the demand not only from the two Koreas but also from the world,” the council said in a statement. “Taking the virus epidemic as a chance, the factories in Gaeseong should be re-opened to overcome the epidemic and improve inter-Korean relations.”

Rep. Park Kwang-on and Rep. Sul Hoon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea also said during a party meeting that the government should listen to calls to solve the severe supply shortage of face masks in the South. The minor opposition Justice Party also expressed support for the idea the day before.

The government responded that the idea was unfeasible at the present.

The Ministry of Unification said reopening the complex to produce masks was not something that could be carried out immediately.

“We sympathize with the idea come up with to help the country overcome difficulties caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, and the government's stance that operations at the complex should be resumed remains unchanged,” said ministry spokesman Yoh Sang-key during a regular press briefing. “However, realistic problems should be reviewed first to resume the now-halted complex.”

Yoh said the government had to consider that workers from the two Koreas would be working together at indoor facilities in close contact if factories were to resume operations to produce masks and anti-contamination suits, which was an undesirable in terms of the need for a quarantine. He added facilities there need to be checked in advance as their operations have been suspended for years. “Besides, the matter of bringing raw materials such as filters or fabrics needs to be discussed when factories in the South are already producing about 10 million face masks.”