- Kaesŏng Industrial Region (KIR) is a special administrative industrial region of North Korea (DPRK).
- It was formed in
2002.
- Its most notable feature is the Kaesŏng Industrial Park, operated as a collaborative economic development with South Korea (ROK).
- The
park is located ten kilometres (six miles) north of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, an hour's drive
from Seoul, with direct road and
rail access to South Korea.
- The
park allows South Korean companies to employ cheap labour that is
educated, skilled, and fluent in Korean,
whilst providing North Korea with an important source of foreign currency.
-
As of April 2013, 123 South Korean companies were employing approximately 53,000 DPRK workers and 800 ROK staff. Their wages, totalling some $90 million each year, had been paid directly to the North Korean government.
- At
times of tension between North and South Korea, southern access to the
Industrial Park has been restricted.
- On
3 April 2013, during the 2013 Korean
crisis, North Korea blocked access to the region to all South
Korean citizens.
- On
8 April 2013, the North Korean government removed all 53,000 North Korean
workers from the Kaesong industrial park, which effectively shut down all
activities.
- On
15 August 2013, both countries agreed that the industrial park should be
reopened.
- At
times of tension between North and South Korea, southern access to the
Industrial Park has been restricted.
