From the Korea Herald:
The ROK government is considering selling off the remaining blocks at the kaesong industrial complex in North Korea in three steps to maximize their value, sources said yesterday.
A 1-million-pyeong compound was built as the first phase of the Gaeseong project and is currently occupied by 15 businesses.
An additional 24 businesses are set to operate since last August and there is currently 580,000 pyeong of land left up for grabs.
The Unification Ministry, Hyundai Asan and Korea Land Corporation – the three organizers of the project – have recently completed its sale plan which will begin next month.
Of the 580,000 pyeong, the government will first offer 220,000 pyeong for sale in June.
Based on the outcome, the government will release the remaining lots in two steps, in September and December.
Sources said by dividing the land lots in the sale, the government is hoping to minimize the risk and maximize their value.
The government is also planning to differentiate the types of businesses entering kaesong in order to increase the level of cooperation within the companies.
Such business fields will include electronics, electricity, machineries, metal and chemicals.
The complex will also be open wide enough for three to four foreign businesses to invest, following a show of interest from business owners from Germany and China.
At Gaeseong there are currently 500 South Korean employees working with about 6,800 North Korean workers.
