hankyoreh

North and South Korean government authorities reached an agreement to hold working-level talks in Panmunjeom on July 6 to discuss the Kaesong Industrial Complex. This would be the first meeting to normalize operations at the complex since it was shut down in early April.

Hopefully, the discussions will result in some good news for inter-Korean relations. On July 3, North Korea said it would allow officials from Kaesong tenant companies and members of the South Korean management committee to visit the complex. On July 4, Seoul proposed talks to discuss three agenda items, and the North agreed.

One of the topics mentioned by the South Korean government was the issue of inspecting facilities and equipment. Tenant companies have been desperately asking for permission to do this as the shutdown has drawn out into the rainy season. Unfortunately, Seoul chose to merely include this as an agenda item rather than simply allow the companies’ representatives to visit the North.

Now, hopefully, both sides will take whatever action is needed to allow them to go. Another item, the retrieval of finished products and raw materials, is something the government already mentioned in its mid-May offer for working-level talks. Because it focused mostly on this question at the time, rather than on getting the complex running again, many feared it was anticipating a permanent shutdown.

The talks are going to need to focus most on another topic, namely the “development-oriented normalization” of the complex. The most important thing is to get the complex up and running again as soon as possible; discussions about who is responsible for its closure or how to prevent another shutdown from happening are secondary. Indeed, if the two sides can agree on a plan for normalization, the other two issues will take care of themselves. But there is still a lot of concern about the many hard-liners in Seoul who are demanding that Pyongyang admit its error and pledge not to let it happen again before we permit the tenant company representatives to visit. If the government continues to insist that North Korea “mend its ways,” the shutdown is very likely to end up being for good.

Right now, Seoul is saying that if the talks go smoothly, it could lead to the senior-level talks that were proposed but never panned out. If this is true, then it’s all the more reason normalizing the complex’s operations has to be a priority. In fact, it would be even more appropriate if things like measures to prevent another shutdown were discussed at senior-level talks rather than working-level ones - along with issues like resuming tourism at Mt. Kumgang. Obviously, North Korea needs to behave reasonably concerning the complex’s shutdown, which has been going on for more than three months now. If either side can simply take it upon itself to shut the complex down, that raises serious questions about just how many businesses will be willing to invest even if it does get running normally again.

Obviously, trust is key to inter-Korean relations. But when you demand trust from the other side without acting in a forward-thinking way yourself, it can come across as trying to cow them into submission. A normally functioning Kaesong Industrial Complex - the sooner the better - could serve as a solid underpinning for establishing a basic level of trust so that we can move forward to the next stage. Hopefully, neither side will let this long-awaited chance go by.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]