朝鲜半岛局势紧张

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.

首尔预计星期四将有大约200名工人从开城工业园区返回韩国，该园区位于朝鲜境内大约10公里。有关官员说，此后将有大约600名韩国人留在园区。

有关方面担忧，如果发生冲突，这些韩国工人可能被困在朝鲜。韩国曾经表示，如果韩国工人的安全受到威胁，军事行动将是最后的选择手段。

朝鲜星期四再次威胁要关闭开城工业园区，而该园区是南北双方合作的仅存迹象。开城工业园区于2004年开始运营，对现金匮乏的平壤而言，该园区是一个重要的收入来源。

但韩国统一部否认了有关朝鲜命令所有韩国人离开开城工业园区的报道。韩国统一部说，星期四清早开始出现的有关报道是基于对一条发给韩国工人的信息的误解。

最近联合国针对朝鲜核项目而实行的新制裁激怒了朝鲜当局，平壤近来几乎每天都对美国和韩国进行威胁。