The Daily NK reports that South Korean businesses have delayed moving into the zone, or canceled their plans outright:
78.5 percent of those firms which received lots at the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the second round of the first stage of distribution in June last year have not begun construction of their facilities. 62.4 percent of them have not even hired a firm for construction,” said the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KFSB) in a report released on April 27. For the report, the KFSB selected 85 firms out of all those firms which received lots and conducted a survey on how these firms are preparing their move into the Complex.
Companies distributed with lots in June last year are required to begin construction of their facilities within two years after the initial distribution contract. It is true that these firms have enough time to build their facilities. However, a number of firms have expressed that they would not move into the Complex.
The report says, “13 out of a total of 167 firms have already told the KFSB that they would not move into the Complex, and five of them have canceled the contract.”
59 percent of the firms including those 13 said that they would relinquish their rights to move into the complex because they are unable to raise enough money. 64 percent of these firms said that the reduced government funding has contributed to their financial difficulties.
Read the full article here:
South Korean Firms Postpone Their Move into the Kaesong Industrial Complex
Daily NK
Choi Choel Hee
4/28/2008
