SEOUL - The South Korean Cabinet has approved a measure that will see the responsibilities of the foundation established to support the Kaesong Industrial Complex transferred to the civilian sector. The decision.
According to Yonhap News Agency, will take effect next week, leading to the eventual disbandment of the foundation. Established in 2007, the foundation's role has been largely redundant since the complex's closure by South Korea in 2016, a move prompted by North Korea's nuclear tests and missile launches.
The Kaesong Industrial Complex, a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation, hosted over 120 South Korean companies employing more than 54,300 North Korean workers to produce various goods. However, relations have since deteriorated, culminating in North Korea demolishing the joint liaison office within the complex in 2020 as a protest against the spread of anti-Pyongyang leaflets by defectors from the North. The ministry's announcement marks a significant shift towards involving the civilian sector in the tasks previously managed by the foundation, reflecting ongoing changes in the landscape of inter-Korean relations.