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SEOUL: Seoul has again urged North Korea to free a South Korean detained for almost a month at a joint industrial estate, warning that the issue could jeopardise the future of the project.
The employee of Hyundai Asan, developer of the estate at Kaesong just north of the border, has been held since March 30 for allegedly criticising the communist state's political system.
"North Korea must understand the seriousness of this issue and show a positive attitude toward its resolution," Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek told journalists.
Similar situations could arise for any firm and employee at the estate, he said, calling it "a very serious matter which will have very important consequences for the stable development of Kaesong".
Hyun said the South remained firm in its commitment to the stable development of the estate as a "symbol of mutual benefits and common prosperity" for the North and the South.
Kaesong was built as a symbol of reconciliation between two countries, which have remained technically at war since their 1950-1953 conflict.
But operations have often been hit by political tensions. In December, the North restricted border crossings and expelled hundreds of South Korean managers from the estate.
At a rare government-level meeting with South Korea last week, the North demanded pay rises for its workers and land-use fees at the Seoul-funded estate.
Some 38,300 North Koreans work at 101 South Korean firms, producing items such as garments, kitchenware and watches.
They are paid around 75 dollars a month including insurance, but the money goes directly to the North's state bodies, which return a portion to the workers.
The estate is an attempt to combine the North's cheap but skilled labour with the South's capital and know-how. Any hefty wage rises could destroy its rationale, analysts say.
"I agree with the view that should wages rise excessively or land charges soar, the competitiveness of the Kaesong industrial complex will be substantially reduced," Hyun said in answer to a question.
The North has called for talks about its demands. Local media reports said Seoul would propose another meeting next week.
- AFP/so
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