On the 10th anniversary of its closure, South Korea's Unification Ministry urged the swift reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, labeling the 2016 shutdown a 'self-injurious' act. The complex, a symbol of inter-Korean economic cooperation, was halted due to North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations. The government pledged to restore communication channels and resume dialogue to rebuild trust.
On February 10, 2026, South Korea's Unification Ministry expressed hope for the prompt normalization of the Kaesong Industrial Complex on the 10th anniversary of its shutdown. The ministry criticized the 2016 unilateral suspension by the Park Geun-hye administration as a 'self-injurious' act that undermined inter-Korean trust and mutual growth. "The blanket suspension of the industrial complex by Seoul in February 2016 was an act of self-injury that impaired the foundation for inter-Korean trust and mutual growth," a ministry official said.
Launched in 2004 as a symbol of inter-Korean economic cooperation and reconciliation, the complex hosted about 55,000 North Korean workers employed by 120 South Korean firms. In August 2013, the two Koreas agreed during working-level talks to ensure normal operations regardless of the political situation. However, on February 10, 2016, the Park administration closed it in response to Pyongyang's nuclear test and long-range missile launches, ordering South Korean operators to withdraw on short notice. In 2020, North Korea detonated the inter-Korean liaison office at the site.
The ministry expressed deep regret over missing a 'decisive chance' in January 2019, when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un indicated willingness to resume operations without preconditions or compensation, but Seoul failed to respond accordingly. "The government hopes for the prompt normalization of the Kaesong Industrial Complex," the official said. "First of all, we expect the two Koreas to reinstate long-severed inter-Korean communication channels in order to resume communications and dialogue... for the resumption of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and recovery of collapsed trust."
Internally, the ministry plans preparatory steps, including cooperating with the National Assembly to reinstate the Kaesong Industrial District Foundation. The complex served as a safety valve for inter-Korean tensions and a test bed for reunification, and the ministry pledged measures to assist affected South Korean businessmen.
