개성공단 재개 가능성을 둘러싼 정치경제

Abstract

The Panmunjom Declaration adopted at the South-North summit meeting on April 27, 2018, measures are being implemented. Following the North American summit in June, inter-Korean economic cooperation is expected to work in earnest, and interest in the resumption of the Kaesong Industrial Complex is on the rise. In this paper, we analyze the political and economic aspects of the 1st provisional closure in 2013, and the 2nd provisional closure and operation process in 2016. Through analyzing the process from the operation of the industrial park to the provisional suspension, we illustrated the problems of the special zones in the inter-Korean economic cooperation resumes and the problems of the actual operation. As the expectations for the establishment of the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong Industrial Complex and the follow-up conversations are on the rise, we need to consider two aspects if the inter-Korean economic cooperation resumes again. First, if the special economic zones between the two Koreas are activated, a crisis management system is needed to coordinate the conflicts in the special zones. In case of Kaesong Industrial Complex, the ‘Kaesong Industrial Complex Inter-Korean Joint Committee’ has been given the right to negotiate, however its operation was limited by autonomous negotiation. Furthermore, wage negotiations should be given the authority to mediate. In addition, there is a need for a mechanism to coordinate events and accidents within the special economic zone. Second, as the ultimate policy direction of the Economic Cooperation, the future special economic zone must be promoted as an internationalization in which South Korea and third countries participate simultaneously with North Korea, or a recognized system of outward processing zones in regional economic cooperation. There is a limit to establishing special economic zones in North Korea and operating them as in the present case.