Kaesong Complex tenant companies file Constitutional Court petition over closure

Posted on : 2016-05-10 16:06 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Companies are seeking to determine whether or not the sudden closure of the complex was grounded in law
Corporate Association of Gaesong Industrial Complex chairman Chung Ki-sup and members of the tenant companies emergency measures committee go to submit a petition on the government’s closure of the complex to the Constitutional Court in Seoul’s Jongno district
Corporate Association of Gaesong Industrial Complex chairman Chung Ki-sup and members of the tenant companies emergency measures committee go to submit a petition on the government’s closure of the complex to the Constitutional Court in Seoul’s Jongno district

On May 9, Kaesong Industrial Complex tenant companies asked the Constitutional Court to review the government’s decision to shut down the complex.

Before submitting their petition at the Constitutional Court on Monday, the tenant companies held a press conference in front of the court, in Seoul’s Jongno district.

“The government infringed on the public’s property rights when it shut down the Kaesong Complex without any legal grounds,” the companies said. “We’re bringing this case before the Constitutional Court to confirm that the government’s shutdown was unconstitutional.”

“In this constitutional petition, we are not seeking a judgment on the merits of whether the government’s decision to shut down the Kaesong Complex was necessary for national security or for the public interest,” said Kim Gwang-gil and No Ju-hui, the attorneys who are handling the lawsuit. “What we are seeking is a judgment about whether the government‘s decision on Feb. 10 was legal.”

“The government violated the constitution when it shut down the Kaesong Complex, and by confirming that this was unconstitutional we mean to show North Korea that the rule of law applies in South Korea,” said Chung Ki-sup, chairman of the Corporate Association of Gaesong Industrial Complex.

“If measures had been taken according to legal protocols, the government could also have minimized the harm that the sudden shutdown of the complex caused to the tenant companies that are on the verge of closing and the large numbers of workers who have been let go,” Chung added.

A total of 163 companies are participating in the lawsuit, including 108 tenant companies at the Kaesong Complex, 37 auxiliary companies with offices at the complex and 18 support companies at the complex.

By Yoon Young-mi, senior staff writer

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