Seoul to halt work at joint industrial park with Pyongyang following North Korea's rocket launch

Seoul: South Korea says it will suspend operations at a joint industrial park with North Korea in response to the North’s recent rocket launch, the first time in the park’s decade of operation that Seoul has halted work there. [caption id=“attachment_2615832” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un. AFP[/caption] The move comes after North Korea on Sunday launched a long-range rocket considered by others as a banned missile technology test. South Korean Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo said Wednesday that the suspension of operations would stop the North from using hard currency from the Kaesong industrial complex to develop nuclear and missile technology. He said at a news conference that the park provided 616 billion won ($515 million) of cash to North Korea since it broke ground in 2003. The park is the last major cooperation project between the rivals. AP