On February 15th, 2016, South Korean President Park Geun-hye discussed the issue of North Korean's nuclear bomb program in front of parliament. A part of this televised parliamentary address was devoted to explaining why the inter-Korean industrial zone at Kaesong was closed.
54,000 North Koreans worked at the 124 South Korean-owned facilities, but the money that the South Koreans are giving to the North Koreans ends up in the hands of leader Kim Jong Un to promote national "security." The South Korean's main liberal opposition party believes that the closing of the industrial zone would only deepen tensions between the two countries.
As of now, Japan and the United States have been introducing more sanctions after the recent North Korean missile tests. China is reluctant to take any action that would "destabilize" its neighbor, reducing the efficacy of United Nation measures.
Throughout the "North Korean attacks on a South Korean naval corvette" in 2010, the industrial zone was still open because the industrial complex is seen as separate from politics. Is it about time that the South Koreans close the industrial zone to punish the North Koreans?
Does imposing more sanctions on North Korea contribute to Kim Jong Un's expansion of the country's military program?
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/south-koreas-park-vows-all-out-effort-to-punish-north-for-provocations/2016/02/15/f4c6aece-4d3f-4378-b9c0-eccef80c1966_story.html
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/15/south-koreas-leader-warns-north-korea-collapse.html
1 comment:
I feel like with North Korea, it is difficult to try an punish and harm the country without affecting the citizens. While closing the industrial zone might harm the country, they need to make the decision about what will happen to the people. However, because the South Korea pays North Korea who in turn pays the workers, I think that closing the industrial zone is the right idea. The workers get next to nothing for their time and North Korea benefits greatly from this program.
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