Over Half of Gyeonggi Province Residents Say Kaesong Industrial Complex Reopening 'Necessary'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Nohun] A survey has shown that more than half of Gyeonggi Province residents responded that the reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex is 'necessary.'

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 20th that it conducted a public opinion survey on December 5th targeting 1,000 residents of the province regarding the reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, revealing that 54% agreed with the necessity of reopening the complex. The view that it is 'not necessary' accounted for 44%.

In a 2018 survey conducted at the time of the Panmunjom Declaration, 73% answered that it was necessary to the same question. In this survey, positive perceptions exceeded half despite reflecting recent inter-Korean tensions.

58% of respondents predicted that if the Kaesong Industrial Complex were to reopen, it would 'help' peace on the Korean Peninsula through economic cooperation between the two Koreas and creating an atmosphere of reconciliation. In contrast, a negative outlook of 'it would not help' was shown by 40%.

Regarding companies in the province operating in the Kaesong Industrial Complex that have suffered losses since its closure in 2016, 59% of respondents agreed on the necessity of provincial-level support. This maintained a level similar to the 2018 survey result (62%).

Regarding the South Korean government making a unilateral declaration to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex without being influenced by the UN or the United States and other neighboring countries, 58% of respondents 'approved.' The 'opposed' position accounted for 39%.

Regarding future inter-Korean relations, half of respondents (50%) predicted it would 'remain similar to now.' '24% said it would 'worsen more than now,' and 22% said it would 'improve more than now.'

With the 'Inter-Korean Peace and Cooperation Local Governments Council,' in which Gyeonggi Province, 31 cities and counties, and Jung-gu, Seoul, and 40 other local governments participate, scheduled to launch in January of next year, 55% of respondents thought it 'desirable' to expand inter-Korean exchange and cooperation initiatives to local governments.

Regarding the pursuit of inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects at the provincial level, 'necessary' was 51% and 'not necessary' was 46%, respectively.

This survey was conducted by Gyeonggi Province through K-Stat Research, a public opinion polling agency, on December 5th via telephone survey targeting 1,000 residents of the province aged 18 and older, with a confidence level of 95% and a sampling error of ±3.1%p.

Meanwhile, Lee Jae-gang, Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province for Peace, established a field office at Imjingak Peace Nuri in Paju from November 10th to urge the declaration of Kaesong Industrial Complex reopening and is performing related duties. The vice governor has continued related activities, including conducting a 'one-person triple prostration' on the Unification Bridge on the 15th.