The nation's largest wholesale and retail shopping market is seeking to make inroads into the Gaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea.

According to industry insiders Tuesday, an association representing Dongdaemun market merchants is planning to create a 'fashion town', around the size of six to ten hectares, in the industrial park in the North's border city.

The association plans to build a garment manufacturing workshop with which it hopes to enhance its competitiveness by taking advantage of cheap production costs. In addition, the Gaesong industrial park has the advantage of being near the border, having no language barriers as well as having cheap labor and distribution costs.

The merchants' body plans to form a preparatory committee and send a delegation for an on-site inspection soon to officially launch efforts to advance into the industrial complex.