North Korean workers at the Kaesung Industrial Complex taken by Lee Joon in February 2007. (ASIAPRESS)

Popular because of high quality. Higher than Chinese goods in price

The products from the complex are expensive than the Chinese ones, but seem to be popular with high quality among the riches. Another reporting partner ‘B’ said that they began to produce the winter clothes from last November, which are also popular at the market. He added “The prices of the winter clothes from the complex are 300-400 RMB (KRW 49,880-66,507), but expensive one goes up to USD100. The price is two times more expensive than that of the Chinese good. The quality and design is superior to the Chinese product. Chinese clothes are made of ordinary textile, but the complex products are made of elastic textiles with 100% of goose feather which let them costlier. They may recklessly use the raw material of the factory owned by the South Korean company. But the package is said to be worse than that of China. The complex products are popular in the market as people recognize the goods are made of the South Korean material. But they don’t know that the operation of the factory in the jointly founded complex itself is not legal.”

Another reporting partner ‘C’ reported on the wages for the workers in the complex, saying “I’ve asked to a distributor who has good information about the complex. Sewers earn KPW16,000  (KRW2,054). Ironing is paid with KPW10,000 (KRW1,271). A worker who produced more than the target earns up to KPW500,000 (KRW63,988) including bonus. The average reaches at RMB200 - 350 (KRW33,263-58,207).

The report by Radio Free Asia (RFA) in last October revealed that the North Korea began to operate the Kaesung Industrial Complex illegally. The South Government stopped supplying electricity to the North at present.

*ASIAPRESS contacts its reporters through Chinese cell phones brought into North Korea.

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