South Korea on Thursday expressed regret over the North’s reproach of its offer of talks but remained steadfast in prioritizing dialogue as the means to resolve their dispute over the stalled Gaeseong industrial park.

Pyongyang dismissed as a “crafty ploy” President Park Geun-hye’s third proposal Wednesday to discuss how to ship out raw and subsidiary materials and finished products of the companies. It demanded Seoul first resolve “fundamental problems,” urging an end to “provocative, reckless remarks and confrontational, blinded acts.”

“We highly regret that North Korea dispraised our earnest suggestion yesterday with a lopsided claim,” Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk said at a news briefing.

He reiterated the government’s call for talks, citing mushrooming losses for the 123 firms since the communist country blocked South Koreans’ access to the border city and pulled out all its 53,000 workers early last month.

At a meeting late Wednesday with senior journalists, Park said the proposal was a “duty of the government,” calling for the North’s “gentlemanlike” attitude.

“North Korea should sincerely keep its promise to guarantee corporate investment and assets rather than repeat assertions that have nothing to do with the operation of the Gaeseong complex, such as a demand to resolve “fundamental problems,” Kim said.

“I am once again emphasizing that North Korea must come forward to the forum for dialogue to minimize the companies’ damage.”

Meanwhile, the ministry took criticism for belatedly acknowledging that Gaeseong officials have expressed their willingness to allow South Koreans to take out their goods and conduct facility maintenance.

The discussion took place between Kaesong Industrial District Management Committee vice chairman Kim Ho-nyeon and North Korean officials when he handed over $13 million in wages and tax payment on May 3, four days after the South withdrew its entire workforce.

But Kim asked them to deliver their message again after reinstating the now-defunct formal communication channel at the border village of Panmunjom, spokesman Kim said.

“As North Korea abruptly raised such an issue at a time when there is no communication outlet, we told them to speak to those who have authority through (the previous) channel, and then proposed working-level talks about that,” he said, denying any intention to conceal the matter.

By Shin Hyon-hee
(heeshin@heraldcorp.com)