Prospects for the Future of the Kaesong Industrial Complex

On April 8, North Korea withdrew all of its workers from the Kaesong Industrial Complex, temporarily placing on hold the last form of cooperation between North and South Korea from the sunshine era. The complex, which employed 53,000 North Korean workers at 123 South Korean factories, served as an important form of cooperation and had become the primary avenue for trade between the two Koreas. 

Prior to the decision to reopen the complex, Korean Kontext spoke with:

• Marcus Noland of the Peterson Institute for International Economics
• Mark Manyin of the Congressional Research Service (CRS)

about the history of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the challenges in making it commercially viable once it reopens, and the prospects for international investment.