Seoul 'regrets' Pyongyang's silence on offer

The Republic of Korea's Unification Ministry expressed regrets on Monday over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's silence toward Seoul's dialogue offer on the Kaesong industrial complex.

"We express strong regrets over the DPRK not responding to our government's proposal. It is doubtful whether (it) has a willingness to advance the Kaesong industrial complex as agreed between the two countries," Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol said.

Observers say the dispute which involves wage, is part of a battle to assert control over the running of Kaesong.

The DPRK's decision to alter rules on workers in Kaesong violated an inter-Korean agreement, under which the two neighbors agreed to jointly manage the factory park in the DPRK's border city of Kaesong, he said.

Seoul cannot accept Pyongyang's unilateral decision to raise wages for DPRK workers without negotiations, the spokesman said.

He urged the DPRK to come to the dialogue table.

Seoul had offered to hold talks on March 13, and the DPRK has not responded.

On Feb 24, the DPRK notified the ROK of its decision to raise the minimum wage for DPRK workers employed at the Kaesong industrial zone.

The monthly wage for DPRK workers in Kaesong is expected to average $164.1, up 5.53 percent from $155.5.

Xinhua - AFP