back to article South Korea abandons manufacturing enclave in nuclear North

North Korea's launch of a useless satellite atop a thinly-disguised intercontinental ballistic missile has turned out to have immediate terrestrial implications, including some for the technology industries, after South Korea closed a manufacturing enclave in the North. The South's Ministry of Unification has announced that …

  1. TimeMaster T
    Mushroom

    Lets just hope ...

    I really hope they have already evacuated the complex, wiped the servers/workstations and set thermite destruct charges on any heavy equipment they don't want the Norks to have. Because I can totally see the North Koreans just saying FU and sending troops in to secure the place ASAP, probably with the excuse that it was to ensure the safety of the North Koreans working there.

    The part that really worries me is that history has shown that seemingly little things like this can be like a lit match into a pool full of petrol and cause things to heat up real fast.

    I am probably wrong, and I really hope that I am.

    1. Neoc

      Re: Lets just hope ...

      Beat me to it... Have an upvote.

    2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Lets just hope ...

      I'm pretty sure it was the North that closed it last time. Can't remember if it was over the report into the sinking of the South Korean Navy ship, or the incident where the North shelled the South, and they returned fire.

      At that point, the South Korean government went to quite a bit of trouble to keep the place open. The road was cut off, so it wasn't able to work, but they left some of their staff there to watch over the machinery and keep stuff ticking over.

      I guess they've given up on it. It was pretty much the last vestige of the Sunshine policy, of being nice to the North, in hopes of better relations. As far back as Clinton, the US government often got frustrated in that they tried to negotiate with the North - but couldn't even get the South to agree with them on policy. Let alone China. Fat boy seems happy with just relying on Chinese trade to keep the place going - although he keeps pissing them off as well. It'll be interesting if China ever decides the DPRK aren't worth the hassle - or gives them up as a bargaining chip for something they want. I doubt the regime could survive very long without oil, but what would it do about it?

      1. Alien8n

        Re: Lets just hope ...

        The only good thing about the whole mess is that eventually the regime will either collapse (like Russia) or power will shift to a more moderate style of Communism (like Vietnam, Cuba and China).

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      ...cause things to heat up real fast.

      It seems that North Korea will say this is a declaration of war.

      1. annodomini2

        Re: ...cause things to heat up real fast.

        @ AC they are already at war, just under a Cease fire.

  2. frank ly

    Lines on a map

    "The Complex stands on North Korean soil, .... Workers from the North are paid in cash but must hand over their hard-earned at the border."

    Would that be the north-side factory gate, not the border?

    1. Alien8n

      Re: Lines on a map

      While being part of North Korea it's effectively part of the DMZ, so will have border controls in and out in both directions, ostensibly because the North is paranoid of South Korean spies using the complex as a way to sneak into the North. Similar setups exist elsewhere with Free Trade Zones, where goods must be exported or pay duties if imported into the host country.

  3. Triggerfish

    Around 50,000 North Koreans work in the complex. Their fate is unknown.

    It's NK screwed is probably accurate.

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Re: Around 50,000 North Koreans work in the complex. Their fate is unknown.

      It's Soylent Green day on Monday. Extra rations this week.

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