Firms in Gaesong complex see snowballing losses By Kim Tae-jong   Han Jae-kwon South Korean firms operating plants in the Gaesong industrial complex urged the government Friday to immediately come up with peaceful solutions to lift North Korea’s entry ban. They said the abrupt ban on South Korean workers entering the inter-Korean industrial park has started dealing a blow to their business there “Some manufacturing lines at several firms in the complex have already halted due to the lack of supply of raw materials and fuel from the South,” Han Jae-kwon, chairman of the Corporate Association of Gaesong Industrial Complex, told The Korea Times. “Things will get much more severe after the weekend.” Another urgent issue is that South Korean employees at the complex will run out of food from next week if the ban is not lifted over the weekend, he said.  The remarks come after Pyongyang suddenly announced Wednesday it would ban South Koreans from entering the industrial park, while allowing South Koreans currently at the complex to return home. A total of 123 South Korean firms manufacture goods in the complex with about 1,000 South Korean and 54,000 North Korean employees. As of Friday, there were 608 South Koreans still at the park, as some 250 employees returned to the South in the first two days after the ban. About 100 more are expected to return home Saturday. Despite escalating tensions over the complex, however, Han said the atmosphere at the site was as normal. “Our resident employees said they found nothing unusual there, although they know what’s going on there. As they know they can’t go back if they cross the border, they insist they should stay there,” Han said. He emphasized a prolonged entry ban would devastate the businesses, as many South Korean firms in the complex are suppliers who need to meet deadlines for shipments. “Several companies have already been under pressure that they will face claims due to failure in meeting deadlines and some may not be able to renew contracts,” Han said. “It also takes a long time to recover even after the ban is lifted if the current situation lasts for a long period of time.” What’s more concerning is the possibility the ban may lead to the complete shutdown of the complex, as Pyongyang threatened to withdraw all North Korean workers, Han said. “Pyongyang seems to take advantage of the ban to press Seoul to gain what they want, but as we have continuously demanded, the two Koreas should divide politics and business.” e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr,