朝韓代表將商談開城工業園區工資問題

North Korean officials are set to meet Wednesday with representatives of South Korean companies, amid a dispute over wages at a jointly run industrial complex.

Pyongyang is trying to unilaterally raise wages for North Korean workers at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which lies just north of the two countries' tense border. Seoul objects, saying such a move must be agreed to by both sides.

Chung Ki-sup, the head of the council of South Korean businesses in Kaesong, said he believes the dispute can be resolved through dialogue. The two sides are meeting at Kaesong.

Last month, Pyongyang notified Seoul of its decision to raise the minimum monthly wage for its workers from $70.35 to $74.00 starting in March.

More than 53,000 North Korean workers are employed by about 120 South Korean factories in the park, which is one of the few areas of North-South economic cooperation.朝鮮官員星期三將會見韓國公司代表，雙方在一個聯營工業園區的工資問題上存在爭執。

平壤試圖單方面提高開城工業園區內朝鮮工人的工資。該園區位於朝鮮半島南北邊界的朝鮮一側。首爾對此表示反對，認爲提高工資必須得到雙方的同意。

開城的韓國企業委員會負責人鄭起燮說，他認爲這一爭端可以通過對話得到解決。雙方將在開城舉行會談。

平壤上個月知會首爾，朝鮮將從3月開始把本國工人的最低月薪從70.35美元提高到74美元。

在開城工業園區，約120家韓國工廠僱用着5萬3千多名朝鮮工人。開城工業園區是朝鮮和韓國極少的幾個經濟合作項目之一。