The Republic of Korea's Unification Ministry, which deals with intra-Korean relations, called on Monday for an active response from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the upcoming joint committee meeting to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex.

"What results emerge depend on how aggressively North Korea will respond," Kim Hyung-seok, Unification Ministry spokesman, said at a news briefing.

Seoul and Pyongyang held the first meeting of the joint management committee on Sept 2 to fully reopen the jointly operated factory park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong.

They agreed in principle to normalize the industrial zone in mid-August, but they have not yet agreed on when to reopen it and how to manage it. The Kaesong industrial zone, where 123 ROK companies run factories, has been suspended for about five months.

Four subcommittees under the Kaesong joint committee held their separate working-level meetings last week, the results of which will serve as a basis for the upcoming joint committee meeting, Kim said.

Xinhua

(China Daily 09/10/2013 page11)