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South Korean firms will be ordered to close down or pay fines if they delay pay for North Korean staff at the joint Kaesong Industrial Complex, North Korean authorities reportedly told the firms in November.
The Kaesong Industrial Council on Wednesday said North Korea last November notified South Korea's Unification Ministry and the Kaesong Industrial Complex management committee of 27-point labor rules in the Kaesong Industrial Complex. Under the rules, South Korean firms will be fined up to US$2,000 if they delay a month's pay and ordered to suspend operations for 10 days and pay an additional 300 percent of basic pay to staff who have worked for more than 24 hours without a break if they delay pay for two months.
The council worries that now firms in the Kaesong complex are receiving fewer orders due to the recession, they could face heavy costs if the rules are strictly applied.
A total of 93 South Korean firms are currently operating in Kaesong. They are paying about $75, including the minimum wage and social security, per month on average to each North Korean worker.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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