The Seoul government said Monday that it had its own sources of tracking and analyzing how the money channeled into Gaeseong industrial park was spent, refusing to elaborate or discuss further on the issue.

Controversy has heightened after Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo claimed that some 70 percent of its investment in the factory park in the border city in North Korea had been funneled into Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs.
 
“There has been consistent concern about the North Korean authorities’ exclusive use of the funds. … The (Seoul) government has been tracking it through various channels and analyzed them,” said Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee during a regular press briefing.

“It was based on such grounds that (Minister Hong) made his remarks. It is not appropriate to discuss further details of the matter,” Jeong said.

Critics have raised issue that the Seoul government’s theory -- made to rationalize its shutdown of Gaeseong industrial park -- was admitting to knowingly continuing its financial investments in North Korea contravening U.N. Security Council sanctions. They also questioned the flip-flopping position of the administration that has effectively admitted to turning a blind eye to the diversion of its funds to North Korea’s nuclear programs.

In response, Jeong said, “There have been concerns that the Gaeseong park wages were redirected for  developing weapons of mass destruction. … However, the international community has acknowledged the significance and effectiveness of the industrial park. You should look at it in that aspect.”

On its part, Cheong Wa Dae diverted all relevant questions to the Unification Ministry and urged “caution” in media reports.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)