Seoul, May 26 (IANS) North Korea Wednesday ordered South Korean government personnel to leave their joint factory complex in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, a top official said, even as tensions between the two countries flared over the sinking of a South Korean warship in March.
The eight South Korean officials, however, told North Korean authorities that they would not be able to leave by the noon deadline because they needed time to pack up, Chun Hae-sung, South Korean unification ministry spokesperson, was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.
The North Korean order came a day after the country said it would expel the officials from the factory in Kaesong, where around 110 South Korean firms have hired over 42,000 North Korean workers to manufacture goods.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated rapidly since last week after a team of international experts said the March 26 sinking of a South Korean warship in the Yellow Sea was caused by a torpedo released by a North Korean submarine. Forty-six crew members died in the incident.
Pyongyang, has however, denied any role in the sinking. After South Korea announced trade bans Monday and said it would approach the UN Security Council over the matter, the North announced its own set of counter-actions Tuesday, including cutting all ties with the South.
rounak