Anchor: All South Koreans were evacuated from the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex as of 10 p.m. Thursday, some hours after the North announced its decision to deport all employees from the South at the park. As the two Koreas proceed with shutting down the park for an indeterminable time, the South Korean firms that operated in the complex called for the political sector’s help in getting compensation for losses.
Our Bae Joo-yon has more.
 
Report: All 280 South Korean citizens have returned home from the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea.
 
Following Seoul’s decision to suspend the operation of the factory park, North Korea on Thursday suddenly announced its decision to expel all South Koreans from the complex.
 
The South Koreans had been planning to leave since Thursday morning, but with the North's announcement they were given just 30 minutes to pack up their personal belongings and leave. They described their ordeal to reporters upon crossing the border to the South.

[Sound bite: Lee Kyung-seob – employee of S. Korean factory at Gaeseong Industrial Complex (Korean)]
“The atmosphere there was tense. People from the South didn’t know what to do.”

[Sound bite: an employee of S. Korean factory at Gaeseong Industrial Complex]
“I got out with just a bag after being informed at 5. I didn’t get my shoes…”

[Sound bite: Kang Sung-ho - employee of S. Korean factory at Gaeseong Industrial Complex]
“Finished and unfinished products were piled up like mountains. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t take them with us.”

The South Koreans had to leave their business assets and products at the complex as the North announced to freeze all South Korean properties at the factory park.
 
On Thursday night just a few hours after the evacuation, the South Korean government cut off the supply of water and electricity to the factory park.
 
As all South Koreans were expelled, the North severed cross-border military communication channels and closed the liaison office at the truce village of Panmunjeom. 
 
The South Korean companies are now working to get compensation for losses they have suffered from the North’s asset freeze.
 
Senior members of the Corporate Association of Gaeseong Industrial Complex, including Chairman Jeong Gi-seob, met with the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties on Friday. They requested the parties to help the companies make up for their losses resulting from the shutdown of the complex.
 
The association members are said to have stressed that a proposal presented by the government on helping the companies will be insufficient to cover losses and urged the political sector to push for a special bill on addressing their hardships.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.