ROK proposes final talk with DPRK on Kaesong issue

SEOUL - The Unification Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Ryoo Kihl-jae said Sunday the ROK will propose a final offer of talk with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on reopening the Kaesong complex.

"South Korea (ROK) will make a final talk proposal with DPRK to discuss (Kaesong issues)," the minister said in a statement that came three days after the sixth round of talks on reopening Kaesong broke down.

"Our government cannot help making a grave decision unless North Korea (DPRK) gives a clear answer towards measures to prevent recurrence of its unilateral shutdown of Kaesong complex," Ryoo warned.

The minister also said the ROK's government will approve five civic organizations' aids to DPRK and continue to support UNICEF's projects for infants.

During the sixth round of talks between South Korea and DPRK on reopening the Kaesong complex, the two sides failed to reach an agreement and set a date for next talk, as differences remained over whether administrative assurances should be taken to prevent recurrence of the DPRK's unilateral shutdown of the complex.

Operations of 123 ROK's companies in the industrial complex in DPRK's border town of Kaesong have been suspended for over three months after Pyongyang pulled out 53,000 DPRK workers from the industrial zone.

The inter-Korean industrial zone, launched in late 2004 and jointly managed by ROK and DPRK, has been one of the key symbols of economic cooperation between the two countries.