朝鮮不準韓國工人進入開城工業園區

North Korea is blocking entry of South Korean workers into a joint industrial zone just north of the border, jeopardizing the last remaining sign of cooperation between the two foes.

Pyongyang announced Wednesday it is suspending South Korean access to the
Kaesong industrial complex, but said it would allow the South Korean workers
at the facility to leave.

South Korea says it was not told how long the entry ban will last, but warns that, if it is prolonged, South Korean workers could run out of supplies and food. Unification Ministry spokesperson says the safety of its workers is Seoul's top priority.

Seoul's defense ministry says that military action is a last-resort option if the safety of the workers is threatened.

Pyongyang has previously blocked South Koreans from entering or exiting the complex, which opened in 2004. But this appears to be the most serious threat yet to the center, which provides about $2 billion a year in trade for the impoverished North.

South Koreans who work in Kaesong are expressing concern about their safety.

The move came just hours after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned Pyongyang against making further provocative threats against Washington and its allies.朝鮮不準韓國工人進入位於南北分界線以北的聯合工業園區，朝鮮半島南北雙方僅存的這一合作跡象前途未卜。

平壤星期三宣佈，暫停准予韓國工人進入開城工業園區，但表示將准許目前仍停留在園區內的韓國工人離開。

韓國表示，未被告知不準進入開城工業園區的禁令將維持多久，但警告說，如果禁令維持下去，韓國工人將面臨生活用品和食物短缺。韓國統一部發言人說，韓國工人的安全是首爾的首要考慮事項。

韓國國防部說，如果韓國工人的安全受到威脅，軍事行動將是最後的選擇。

平壤以往曾經阻撓韓國人進入或離開開城工業園區。該園區於2004年開始運營。但開城工業園區這次看來面臨着最嚴重的威脅。開城工業園區每年爲貧困的朝鮮帶來大約20億美元的貿易收入。

在開城工業園區工作的韓國人對當地的安全局勢感到擔憂。

在朝鮮做出這一決定的幾小時前，美國國務卿克里警告平壤不要進一步對華盛頓及其盟友進行威脅挑釁。