A ceremony marking the completion of a pilot complex at a major inter-Korean industrial park project took place on Wednesday in the North's border city of Gaesong.
The South's Korea Land Corporation said that beginning next month, South Korean firms will be able to begin building plants in the pilot complex at the Gaesong Industrial Park.
Some 15 South Korean firms are slated to advance into the demo-complex and are anticipated to launch production beginning at the end of this year. The South Korean firms are expected to hire some 5,000 North Korean workers.
Meanwhile, the two Koreas on Wednesday also started talks on the reconnection of cross-border railways and roads that were disconnected more than 50 years ago.
During the talks, working-level officials are expected to discuss the issue of South Korea's assistance in the construction of the North's train stations.