North Korea has refused to allow two South Korean officials from the Gaeseong Industrial District Management Committee entry into the inter-Korean factory park in the North Korean border city.
 
The Ministry of Unification said Wednesday that the North denied entry to the committee's deputy chief, Choi Sang-chul, and a member of the legal support division.
 
On Tuesday, the North first verbally notified the South that it would restrict their entry, saying the committee speaks only on behalf of the South Korean government while opposing to the North's Central Guidance Bureau for Special Zone Development. The North sent a written notice of the matter later on Wednesday. 
 
South Korea immediately objected to the measure and sought to deliver a letter requesting that the North scrap the decision, but the North refused to take receipt of the letter.
 
The Unification Ministry said the entry ban was extremely regretful, arguing that the North clearly violated an agreement that guarantees the swift and safe entry of South Koreans.
 
The ministry said the North should allow the normal entry of South Korean personnel as soon as possible.
 
Choi is known to have mostly discussed tax issues with the North, such as the corporate taxes and wages of South Korean firms operating in Gaeseong.