The U.S. State Department has reaffirmed its support of shutting down the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex.
 
The department’s East Asia Pacific Affairs Bureau spokesperson Grace Choi told the Voice of America(VOA) on Wednesday that the U.S. supports the Seoul government’s 2016 decision to shut down the industrial park in the face of the North’s provocations.
 
The spokeswoman made the comment in response to a question about South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon’ recent remarks hinting at the possibility of reopening the industrial park.
 
The minister said late last month that he would place top priority on the reopening of the park if the situation regarding the North improves.
 
The U.S. spokeswoman said that the shutdown reflects growing concerns in the region over the North's threats and its blatant violations of UN Security Council resolutions. She added that as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said, every country should take action to increase the economic isolation of North Korea.