* Unofficial Translation
R.O.K. Government Statement
Today North Korea rejected our official proposal to hold working-level inter-Korean talks to resolve problems regarding the Gaeseong Industrial Complex (GIC).
As North Korea prohibited the entry of the South Korean workers to the GIC and unilaterally withdrew North Korean workers, the operation of the GIC, which has been running for the last ten years, has become impossible.
The Korean government has repeatedly stated our stance that the GIC problem must be resolved through dialogue.
North Korea, however, did not accept our dialogue proposal and continued its suspension of the operation of the GIC and even prohibited the entry of our entrepreneurs.
As a result, our companies which made investments in the GIC based on their trust on mutually agreed inter-Korean agreements are experiencing serious damage and hardship.
Particularly, the fact that North Korea did not even permit the minimum humanitarian measures required to ensure provision of food and medical supplies for our people in GIC, and refused our proposal for inter-Korean dialogue cannot be justified by any reason.
As our people at the GIC are experiencing increasing hardship due to North Korea's unjustifiable measures, the Korean government has inevitably made the decision to have all of the remaining personnel dispatched from South Korea return from the GIC.
North Korea should guarantee the safe return of our people and ensure the protection of the tenant companies' property at the GIC stipulated in existing inter-Korean agreements and laws regarding the GIC.
The Korean government will provide its utmost support for the tenant companies at the GIC to continue their normal business activities.
April 26, 2013
Government of Republic of Korea
