South Korean authorities said on Thursday that North Korea would face serious repercussions for failing to even talk about reopening a jointly-operated factory facility that’s left many scrambling for work.
Specifically, the South warned of “grave measures” if the North didn’t respond or agree to talks by Friday at noon, The Associated Press reported. At the same time, the South didn’t define what those measures would be.
It’s been nearly a month since North Korean authorities — angry at the South’s military training exercises with the United States — shut down access to a factory park that’s jointly owned and operated. The South’s demand to talk about its reopening is likely to reignite the North’s anger and fuel more threats of war, AP reported.
Pyongyang had been quiet in recent days and stepped back from its heated rhetoric against the South, the United States and Japan that included threats of nuclear war.
The factory park is located in North Korea in the border town of Kaesong. North Korea suspended operations and began barring South Koreans from crossing the border to the park earlier this month.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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