The two countries have historically been reluctant to meddle with Kaesong, even during periods of fraught tension elsewhere. The complex has never been shut down, in its eight years of operation, and remains an important symbol for both sides. For the North, it is a sign of economic liberalisation and achievement. For the South, it is a blueprint of how the two countries might one day cooperate more fully. More than 120 South Korean companies employ over 53,000 North Koreans at Kaesong for their cheap and skilled labour.
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