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SEOUL: North Korea Friday accused a detained South Korean of "malignantly" slandering its political system and hinted he could face severe punishment unless Seoul stops its criticism of the detention.
The employee of Hyundai Asan, developer of the Kaesong joint industrial estate just north of the border, has been held since March 30 for allegedly criticising the communist state's system and encouraging a woman worker to defect.
South Korea has said it will raise the issue with the United Nations and warned that the detention jeopardises the estate's future.
A spokesman for the North's office overseeing the Kaesong Industrial Zone (KIZ) identified the man as Yu Song-Jin.
"Yu malignantly slandered the dignified system in the DPRK (North Korea) after entering the KIZ, perpetrating grave acts in infringement upon the sovereignty of the DPRK and violation of the relevant law," the spokesman was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying.
"A competent institution is now carrying on a deep-going investigation into the case."
Seoul says that under existing agreements the North only has the right to warn, fine or expel a South Korean for any infringement at Kaesong.
Claims by Seoul officials and media that the detention breaches agreements and constitutes an abuse of human rights would only make the situation graver, the spokesman said in the North's first public comment on the case.
The North's law "does not show any mercy to anyone violating its dignity and sovereignty as its people consider them as their life and soul," he added.
"If the South Korean authorities and the conservative media go reckless, distorting the essence of the case, they will be held fully accountable for all the ensuing consequences."
On Tuesday Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek again urged the North to free the man, calling it "a very serious matter which will have very important consequences for the stable development of Kaesong."
The estate 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, which are currently high.
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 US$75 a month including insurance but the money goes directly to the North's state bodies, which return a portion to the workers.
The North has called for talks about its demands. Local media reports say Seoul will propose another meeting next week.
- AFP/yb
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