Blast overland, plant without permission...There's no way to use your hands?

[Anchor]
Following the North's bombing of an inter-Korean road with South Korean funds, additional circumstances have been revealed that our facilities in the Kaesong Industrial Complex are being operated without permission.

The government said it is considering measures to repay loans that have been built on roads, but it is not easy to get money from North Korea.

I'm reporter Lee Jong Won.

[Reporter]
Recently, a large concrete pit was identified on the northern section of the East Sea Line.

North Korea, which blew up part of the inter-Korean land route, created an anti-tank zone along with a pile of dirt to block the tank.

[Lee Sung-joon, chief of press for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (last 4th): The military is closely monitoring the movements of the North Korean military in the area because it is possible for the North to push through its land to fill the anti-tank and create a Invasion from North Korea route in a short period of time.]

About 180 billion won in kind loans from the government from 2002 to 2008 was invested in the project to connect the Gyeongui Line and the Donghae Line overland.

This is why the government mentioned that North Korea is obligated to repay loans right after North Korea blew up its land route on the 15th of last month, but it has recently taken a step further.

A high-ranking official of the Ministry of Unification said he is reviewing with relevant ministries how to repay the money provided as a loan.

It is also interpreted as meaning that it could soon file a lawsuit against North Korea.

Earlier, the government had already filed a lawsuit seeking 44.7 billion won against North Korea, claiming that it would be compensated for the bombing of the joint inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong.

However, the problem is that even if the government wins the lawsuit, there is no proper way to enforce compensation.

Although there is a court precedent that recognizes North Korea's liability for damages, the claim that the domestic foundation, which has accumulated copyright fees to pay to North Korea, has not been accepted.

[Cho Han-beom/senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Unification]: Continuing to raise such issues as compensation for damages highlights North Korea's illegal activities and, as a result, if North Korea normalizes in the future, it will all be responsible for North Korea someday.]

In the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which was closed in 2016, additional circumstances have recently been revealed that factories and facilities owned by Korean companies are operating without permission.

The Ministry of Unification analyzed that there are currently 40 industrial complex facilities that North Korea uses at will, but it has not found a sharp countermeasure.

Experts point out that North Korea's unauthorized use of South Korean production infrastructure, which is speeding up inter-Korean disconnection measures by declaring hostile two-state theories, is a prime example of the dual nature of the system.

I'm YTN's Lee Jong Won.



Video editing: Ma Young-hoo

Design: Im Saetbyul