朝鮮半島局勢緊張

The future of a joint industrial complex between North and South Korea remains in question, as Pyongyang blocked South Korean workers from entering the center for a second day.

Seoul expects about 200 workers to return home Thursday from the Kaesong industrial zone, which lies about 10 kilometers inside North Korea. Officials say that would leave about 600 South Koreans at the facility.

There are concerns that the workers could become trapped in North Korea, should any conflict break out. South Korea has said that military action is a last-resort option if the safety of its workers is threatened.

North Korea on Thursday renewed its threat to shut down the complex, which is the last remaining sign of inter-Korean cooperation. The facility, which opened in 2004, is also an important source of income for cash-strapped Pyongyang.

But the South Korean Unification Ministry is denying reports the North has ordered all South Koreans to leave the facility. It said the reports, which circulated early Thursday, were based on a misunderstanding of a memo sent to South Korean workers.

Pyongyang, which is angry at recent U.N. sanctions over its nuclear program, has issued near-daily threats against Seoul and Washington.城聯合工業園區仍然前途未卜，平壤連續第二天不準韓國工人進入園區。

首爾預計星期四將有大約200名工人從開城工業園區返回韓國，該園區位於朝鮮境內大約10公里。有關官員說，此後將有大約600名韓國人留在園區。

有關方面擔憂，如果發生衝突，這些韓國工人可能被困在朝鮮。韓國曾經表示，如果韓國工人的安全受到威脅，軍事行動將是最後的選擇手段。

朝鮮星期四再次威脅要關閉開城工業園區，而該園區是南北雙方合作的僅存跡象。開城工業園區於2004年開始運營，對現金匱乏的平壤而言，該園區是一個重要的收入來源。

但韓國統一部否認了有關朝鮮命令所有韓國人離開開城工業園區的報道。韓國統一部說，星期四清早開始出現的有關報道是基於對一條發給韓國工人的信息的誤解。

最近聯合國針對朝鮮核項目而實行的新制裁激怒了朝鮮當局，平壤近來幾乎每天都對美國和韓國進行威脅。