개성공단 입주기업들은 30일 “우리 기업들의 확고부동한 요구는 개성공단의 조기 정상화”라며 남북 양측 정부의 회담 재개를 촉구했다.

개성공단 정상화 촉구 비상대책위원회는 “남북 양측은 지금이라도 실무회담을 재개해 개성공단 정상화에 합의를 해주기 바란다”며 이날 오전 여의도 중소기업중앙회에서 전체 입주기업들이 참석한 가운데 비상대책회의에서 이 같은 요구 사항을 담은 성명 을 발표했다.

또 “남북 양측이 개성공단의 진정한 정상화를 원한다면 우선 설비 점검•유지•보수를 위한 `설비 관리단‘ 인원의 방북을 허락해달라”고 촉구했다.

비대위는 “우리는 지난 남북 6차 실무회담에서 북측 제안이 전향적이었다고 본다”면서 “다만, 북한은 이번 사태와 관련해 전제조건 없는 재발방지를 보장해야 한다”고 강조했다.

이어 “지난 회담에서 우리 정부 의제가 대부분 북측 안에 반영된 것으로 보고 있다”면서 “그럼에도 우리 정부가 공단 폐쇄를 결정한다면 우리 기업의 희생에 대해정당한 보상을 해야 한다”고 촉구했다.

비대위와 개성공단 근로자협의회가 자체 집계한 내용에 따르면 개성공단내 123개 입주기업에 근무하던 남측 주재원은 약 1000명, 그리고 생산활동 등을 지원하던 본사 인원은 총 8600여명, 또 이들 기업에 각종 서비스를 제공하던 86개 영업소 근무인원은 총 430명으로 각각 집계됐다.

서울은 북한 쪽에서 이번 회담이 성사되지 않을 시 발생할 막대한 손실에 대한 책임인식을 요구했다. (코리아헤럴드)

<관련 영문 기사>

Gaeseong firms call for early normalization of industrial park

Representatives from more than 100 South Korean companies running factories in the Gaeseong industrial complex Tuesday urged the South and North Korean governments to resume talks for an early normalization of the factory park.

At the end of a hurriedly-convened meeting in Yeouido, central Seoul, the companies also called on South and North Korea to allow them to dispatch their factory managers to the industrial park to check on the production facilities.

The statement came a day after the South Korean government gave Pyongyang an ultimatum to hold talks to put the halted factories back on track.

The operation of the industrial park in the North has been suspended since April due to tension between the two Koreas.

The Gaeseong companies expressed doubt over whether the government’s top priority was normalization of the complex or not, asking the government to have more flexibility in handling the issue.

“In the latest talks, the North accepted most of the requests by the South except an assurance that it will not unilaterally close down the complex. The South government should have tried more in light of the bigger picture to reach an agreement, instead of raising tension by issuing an ultimatum,” a company official was quoted as saying in the news conference.

On Sunday, Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae made a final proposal for talks to the North, hinting at a preference for ending the inter-Korean project unless the North accepted the proposal. A formal proposal was sent to Pyongyang on Monday.

“If the government considers a permanent closure of the complex an option, it has to develop measures to compensate the loss of companies in the complex the first,” the statement said.

In a desperate effort to keep their faltering businesses in the North afloat, corporate leaders also asked the government to allow staff responsible for production facility check-up and maintenance to enter the North as soon as possible.

According to the ministry, 123 South Korean companies, most of which are shoe and clothing makers, run factories in Gaesong. The companies have already lost 1.05 trillion won ($935 million) due to the halt of their production lines in the North. Seoul insists that Pyongyang must recognize responsibility for the losses caused by its unilateral decision to bring production to a standstill.

By Seo Jee-yeon
(jyseo@heraldcorp.com)