South Korean businesses with operations at the shuttered Gaeseong Industrial Complex have called on the government to declare the reopening of the industrial park. 

A countermeasures committee composed of such businesses made the call in a news conference near the presidential office as Tuesday marked the fifth anniversary of the park’s shutdown. 

The committee urged the government to immediately declare the reopening of the industrial park and to devise measures to support businesses that have operations there until the complex is up and running again. 

The committee also called for those responsible for the shutdown to be penalized and to provide compensation for losses suffered by companies with operations in the industrial complex. 

Meanwhile, the Unification Ministry marked the anniversary by expressing hope that the two Koreas will swiftly start talks on reopening the industrial park. 

Citing that resuming operations of the complex was part of agreements reached during the 2018 inter-Korean summit, the ministry said it hopes the two Koreas will implement the agreement by devising measures to reopen the complex.