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North Korea is demanding unpaid residence fees from South Koreans working in the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex in the border city of Kaesong.
A South Korean government official on Sunday said North and South failed to settle their differences over the demand. According to an agreement between the two Koreas, South Koreans have to register and pay fees to North Korea whenever they extend their stay or change their residence. But no South Korean workers in the industrial park have paid since no specific rules were set. Details of the amount the North wants or the length of the permitted stay have not been revealed. A South Korean official merely said there was ¡°a big gap¡± between the two sides. One South Korean company said it could not operate a factory in the industrial complex if it paid what the North is demanding.
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North Korean laborers work in a South Korean factory in the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
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It is unclear why Pyongyang is suddenly asking for the money two years after the launch of the joint project. A fellow with a state-run think tank said the North was looking for extra income as the number of South Koreans working or staying in the industrial park has increased but made an unreasonable demand. Some 800 South Koreans work in Kaesong.
The government is telling Pyongyang it will be difficult to lure more South Korean companies to the industrial park unless the North backs off. A source acquainted with North Korean affairs said Pyongyang expects Seoul will use money from the inter-Korean cooperation fund to pay the fees if the North keeps up the pressure on the companies.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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