S. Korean businessmen hold wage talks with North Korean officials

A group of South Korean businessmen with factories at the Kaesong Industrial Complex made a day trip to Kaesong for talks with North Korean officials.The visit comes after Pyongyang unilaterally demanded a wage hike for its workers at the complex... and refused to discuss the matter with the South Korean government.Hwang Sung-hee reports. Although North Korea rejected a petition from the South Korean companies, the South Korean businessmen say Wednesday's talks in Kaesong were quite productive."We delivered vivid stories from the companies' perspective -- at least 10 times more than what was written on a one-page petition."The rare day trip comes after North Korea demanded a unilateral wage hike of around five percent and a revision of regulations last month. South Korea says the issue must be settled through inter-Korean dialogue."The government thinks it's appropriate for North Korea to come to talks as soon as possible to resolve issues regarding the management and improvement of the Kaesong complex through government-level talks."With North Korea refusing the offer, 14 South Korean businessmen met with Pak Chol-su, the North Korean official who oversees the management of the business park, to urge Pyongyang to engage in talks."We asked North Korea to consider the fact that many companies have nightmares about the suspension in 2013 and that it should engage in government-level talks swiftly."The businessmen describe Wednesday's talks as amicable, adding they will hold similar meetings in the future.The joint business park, where some 53-thousand North Koreans work at 1-hundred-25 South Korean factories, is the last remaining link of inter-Korean economic cooperation."The South Korean government, companies and experts all say that another shutdown of the business park will not be in North Korea's interest. But many are keeping an eye on a planned anti-Pyongyang leaflet launch next week... and whether it will influence business operation