[The Editors' Verdict] Let's Give the Kaesong Industrial Complex a Real Chance

The Hurdles of International Relations Have Grown Higher Over the Past Decade
We Must Find a Practical Path Forward, Free from Ideological Constraints

It is hard to deny that the Kaesong Industrial Complex was the most practical and de-ideologized experiment in inter-Korean relations. Depending on the administration and the political climate, it was sometimes criticized as a giveaway policy, but logically refuting its utility itself is not a simple matter. I vividly remember how the international community was more impressed than we were by this model, which provided Korean small and medium-sized enterprises with a low-cost and stable production base, and offered North Korea tangible compensation in the form of foreign currency earnings and employment. The rules and practices that were established in the course of operating the Kaesong Industrial Complex, and the symbolic assets and bilateral mechanisms that emerged from it, still stand out as a remarkable chapter in our political and economic history.

Even now, many people remain puzzled when they recall then-President Park Geun-hye's "decision" 10 years ago to abruptly suspend operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. It is true that North Korea's provocations and atrocities crossed the line, but they ask whether almost irreversibly locking the gates of the complex was not a different matter altogether. Even officials at the relevant authorities and working-level personnel who are relatively well acquainted with the inside story of the Kaesong project cannot give clear answers to questions such as, "What was the real background for going that far?" and "To what extent did we anticipate in advance the damage that our small and medium-sized enterprises would suffer as a result?"

That 'decision' still in question

Strictly speaking, that decision was of a nature that should never have been made in such a sudden manner. Like it or not, the livelihoods of our people were at stake. The ostensible reason presented by the government at the time, namely that profits were being diverted to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, may sound plausible at first glance, but it also reveals a lack of consideration for the broader policy context and historical perspective. And what about the pain and countless stories of the businesspeople afterwards? They had to withdraw overnight, leaving behind production facilities and raw and subsidiary materials; their business relationships collapsed; and business models that had been built up over many years were blown to pieces. I do not know how many of those who were struck by this bolt from the blue managed to stand tall again thanks to what the government called "support."

The issue of restarting the Kaesong Industrial Complex has quietly resurfaced on the table, as the community of small and medium-sized enterprises, including the Kaesong Industrial Complex Business Association, has called for it and the Democratic Party of Korea and the Ministry of Unification have responded. It would be desirable to move quickly to draw up concrete implementation plans: clearly defining, within the framework of sanctions, the scope of sectors and projects in which production activities are possible; devising long-term measures to go beyond that framework; and preparing a phased roadmap for resumption. The Ministry of Unification has created a Promotion Team for Peace Cooperation Zone for the normalization of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and related initiatives, and the Democratic Party has set up the "Korean Peninsula Peace New Strategy Committee." Their task is precisely to carry out this work with a sense of urgency.

Remove political and ideological disputes to find solutions

What is worrisome is that the issue of restarting the Kaesong Industrial Complex might be swept up wholesale into debates over "two-state theory" or "self-reliance camp vs. alliance camp." Controversies over ideology, regardless of left or right, are like a heavy magnet that clings to other truly important agendas and refuses to let them go. To secure the consent of the international community, including the United States, China, and Japan, it is essential to prevent in advance any situation in which one side harbors suspicions, and to make every effort not to lose balance. The designers of the Kaesong Industrial Complex were thinkers with deep ideological training, but they did not carelessly impose ideology on the project and instead found the most effective path. The hurdle of international relations has risen significantly over the past 10 years. How will we clear it? I hope that this, and only this, will be the focus of our deliberations.