ID :
79533
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 21:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/79533
The shortlink copeid
(2nd LD) North drops wage hike demand at joint park amid anger in South
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with Lee's remarks on inter-Korean relations at critical
juncture, business reaction, exact number of firms at Kaesong)
By Lee Chi-dong and Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has withdrawn demands for a hefty wage
increase at a South Korean-run industrial park, officials here said Friday, as
anger brewed in the South over a deadly flash flood unleashed by the North.
After a brief thaw, a new chill hit inter-Korean relations this week with the
deaths of six South Koreans who were swept away by North Korean dam water
discharged without notice in the predawn hours of Sunday. Pyongyang was yet to
apologize, but came up with a drastic compromise on a different issue.
The North voluntarily withdrew its earlier demand for a four-fold wage increase
at the joint park, located in Kaesong just north of the inter-Korean border, said
Lee Jong-joo, spokeswoman for Seoul's Unification Ministry. In a letter sent
Thursday, the North accepted a 5 percent raise -- per the original agreement.
North Korea "presented to us its wage increase proposal as above, saying it wants
to seal an agreement as early as possible," Lee said in a press briefing. Both
sides will sign "soon," Lee added.
The compromise came as the deadly flood fanned public uproar in the South. Seoul
has concluded that the North's unannounced release of dam water contravened
international customary law, which states a country's use of its own territory
should not infringe on other countries' rights and interests.
Former President Kim Young-sam, a leading conservative, called the North's
unannounced discharge "unforgivable."
President Lee Myung-bak said his government will remain firm in dealing with the
North while continuing to seek inter-Korean dialogue.
The incident "reminded us again that a move by North Korea directly affects the
life and safety of our citizens," Lee said at a breakfast meeting with diplomacy
and security advisors.
"Our government won't be swayed by individual incidents. Instead, we'll hold fast
to our firm and consistent North Korea policy," he added.
The Lee government appeared divided over how tough it should get in dealing with
the mishap. Foreign ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said the government will
"take a close look" at whether to take a legal action internationally, while the
Unification Ministry, in charge of inter-Korean relations, called for a more
cautious approach.
Demanding compensation from Pyongyang is "not realistic," Unification Ministry
spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said.
The Koreas have no agreement on disaster compensation, though South Korea has
compensated the North privately. After a 2005 car accident at the North's Mount
Kumgang resort, in which a South Korean worker killed one North Korean soldier
and injured two others, Hyundai Asan, the South Korean operator of a tour program
there, reportedly paid $40,000 in compensation.
South Korean businesses operating at the joint industrial park were upbeat after
North Korea settled on wages. The North earlier demanded monthly wages be raised
to US$300 from $70-80 for local workers, apparently in retaliation against
Seoul's hardline policy toward it. Four rounds of negotiations had yielded no
progress.
"After a long time, we heard good news," said Ok Sung-seok, vice chairman of the
Kaesong Industrial Council that represents the firms at the park and owner of
Mine Mode Co., a clothing firm. "I see the environment being refurbished for us
to do our job."
The Kaesong park opened in late 2004 as an outcome of the first inter-Korean
summit four years earlier. It houses 114 mostly small-sized South Korean firms
producing clothing, electronic equipment, kitchenware and other labor-intensive
goods with about 40,000 North Korean workers. The venture is a much-needed source
of dollar income for the North, which is currently under U.N. sanctions for its
May nuclear test that bans cash flows to the country seen as related to its
nuclear and missile programs.
The proposed 5 percent rate hike would add only a few more dollars to the current
pay rate, increasing the minimum wage to about $58 from the current $55.
lcd@yna.co.kr
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
juncture, business reaction, exact number of firms at Kaesong)
By Lee Chi-dong and Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has withdrawn demands for a hefty wage
increase at a South Korean-run industrial park, officials here said Friday, as
anger brewed in the South over a deadly flash flood unleashed by the North.
After a brief thaw, a new chill hit inter-Korean relations this week with the
deaths of six South Koreans who were swept away by North Korean dam water
discharged without notice in the predawn hours of Sunday. Pyongyang was yet to
apologize, but came up with a drastic compromise on a different issue.
The North voluntarily withdrew its earlier demand for a four-fold wage increase
at the joint park, located in Kaesong just north of the inter-Korean border, said
Lee Jong-joo, spokeswoman for Seoul's Unification Ministry. In a letter sent
Thursday, the North accepted a 5 percent raise -- per the original agreement.
North Korea "presented to us its wage increase proposal as above, saying it wants
to seal an agreement as early as possible," Lee said in a press briefing. Both
sides will sign "soon," Lee added.
The compromise came as the deadly flood fanned public uproar in the South. Seoul
has concluded that the North's unannounced release of dam water contravened
international customary law, which states a country's use of its own territory
should not infringe on other countries' rights and interests.
Former President Kim Young-sam, a leading conservative, called the North's
unannounced discharge "unforgivable."
President Lee Myung-bak said his government will remain firm in dealing with the
North while continuing to seek inter-Korean dialogue.
The incident "reminded us again that a move by North Korea directly affects the
life and safety of our citizens," Lee said at a breakfast meeting with diplomacy
and security advisors.
"Our government won't be swayed by individual incidents. Instead, we'll hold fast
to our firm and consistent North Korea policy," he added.
The Lee government appeared divided over how tough it should get in dealing with
the mishap. Foreign ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said the government will
"take a close look" at whether to take a legal action internationally, while the
Unification Ministry, in charge of inter-Korean relations, called for a more
cautious approach.
Demanding compensation from Pyongyang is "not realistic," Unification Ministry
spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said.
The Koreas have no agreement on disaster compensation, though South Korea has
compensated the North privately. After a 2005 car accident at the North's Mount
Kumgang resort, in which a South Korean worker killed one North Korean soldier
and injured two others, Hyundai Asan, the South Korean operator of a tour program
there, reportedly paid $40,000 in compensation.
South Korean businesses operating at the joint industrial park were upbeat after
North Korea settled on wages. The North earlier demanded monthly wages be raised
to US$300 from $70-80 for local workers, apparently in retaliation against
Seoul's hardline policy toward it. Four rounds of negotiations had yielded no
progress.
"After a long time, we heard good news," said Ok Sung-seok, vice chairman of the
Kaesong Industrial Council that represents the firms at the park and owner of
Mine Mode Co., a clothing firm. "I see the environment being refurbished for us
to do our job."
The Kaesong park opened in late 2004 as an outcome of the first inter-Korean
summit four years earlier. It houses 114 mostly small-sized South Korean firms
producing clothing, electronic equipment, kitchenware and other labor-intensive
goods with about 40,000 North Korean workers. The venture is a much-needed source
of dollar income for the North, which is currently under U.N. sanctions for its
May nuclear test that bans cash flows to the country seen as related to its
nuclear and missile programs.
The proposed 5 percent rate hike would add only a few more dollars to the current
pay rate, increasing the minimum wage to about $58 from the current $55.
lcd@yna.co.kr
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
