The hardline Lee Myung-bak administration is to blame for the crisis of the inter-Korean industrial complex, South Korea's main opposition party said Saturday, calling for it to take steps to save the inter-Korean industrial park, run by South Koreans inside the North Korean territory, Yonhap reported.
"The Gaeseong industrial complex is in peril due to the government's North Korea policy that lacks principles and philosophy," the Democratic Party's spokesperson Kim Yoo-jung said. "The government and the ruling party should map out measures to maintain the complex, which is the last bastion of inter-Korean reconciliation, instead of focusing on criticizing North Korea's step."
Kim added that the government should resume talks with the North through the implementation of the two inter-Korean summit deals signed by its liberal predecessors, Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun.
The demand came a day after North Korea announced it was invalidating all preferential wage and rent contracts with the South Korea in the Gaeseong park.
More than 38,000 North Koreans work at Gaeseong for 101 South Korean firms, producing items such as garments, kitchenware and watches.
After a decade-long reconciliatory mood, inter-Korean relations chilled when Lee took office early last year seeking a more reciprocal relationship with the North. Lee said he will implement the summit deals on expanding the two Koreas' economic cooperation in tandem with progress to denuclearize the communist neighbor.
The Seoul-funded complex that opened in 2005 has been seen as a symbol of reconciliation now faces its biggest crisis yet, while the government criticized the North's "irresponsible" announcement. Critics, however, say the government's poor North Korea policy caused the troubles.
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