South Korean lawmakers will make an inspection tour of the newly-reopened Kaesong industrial zone operated with North Korea after Pyongyang approved their visit, officials said today.
Kaesong lies 10 kilometres inside North Korea and the tour will mark a rare cross-border trip by South Korean MPs.
"Nothing has been decided on whether or not lawmakers will be able to meet North Korean officials," an official with the South's Unification Ministry told Yonhap news agency.
Kaesong only recently reopened after North Korea effectively shut down the complex in April by withdrawing its 53,000-strong workforce during a sharp and extended spike in military tensions.
The lawmakers will meet with the managers of the South Korean companies in Kaesong and inspect their plants.
The company owners say they lost a small fortune during the five-month shutdown and had to spend large amounts getting their production lines up and running again.
South Korea's ruling party wants parliament to adopt a bill aimed at attracting new investors to Kaesong, by cutting taxes and offering low-interest loans.
South Korea has been pressing for foreign investment in Kaesong, believing the presence of overseas firms would make it harder for Pyongyang to shut down the complex in the future.
