North Korea has been dismantling parts of the Comprehensive Support Center at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, raising the possibility that redevelopment efforts might be underway on Tuesday.
According to the South Korean government, North Korea has recently been removing and transporting materials from the support center. The building had been left partially destroyed since the 2020 Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office explosion, which caused significant damage to the structure.
In 2020, North Korea detonated the liaison office in response to South Korean civilian groups sending anti-North Korea leaflets. At the time, some materials were reportedly removed from both the liaison office and the support center before the explosion. This has led to speculation that North Korea may completely demolish the non-functional support center through similar explosive means.
In the wake of the shutdown of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and the destruction of the liaison office, which severed inter-Korean ties, North Korea has exhibited signs of unilateral redevelopment efforts. These include the unauthorized reactivation of certain manufacturing facilities within the complex. The recent activities at the Support Center may be aligned with this broader strategic initiative.
A South Korean Unification Ministry official stated, “The dismantling of parts of the Comprehensive Support Center has been ongoing.”