Seoul proposes inter-Korean talks on Gaeseong standoff

The South Korean government Thursday proposed to North Korea that government-level talks be held on an inter-Korean industrial complex in the North Korean border city of Gaeseong whose operation came to a halt earlier this month.

Unification ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk said the government is officially proposing that the two sides hold working-level talks to discuss ways of normalizing operations of the Gaeseong complex.

Kim asked Pyongyang to give an answer no later than Friday morning.

"If the North rejects the offer, the South will have no choice but to take serious steps,” he said. He did not elaborate.

He said South Korea remains unchanged in its position that the Gaeseong site should be operated and developed in a stable manner.

North Korea withdrew all of its 53,000 workers from the complex earlier this month.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com