The government says North Korea’s request for the management data of companies operating in the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea is standard procedure.

Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo denied reports that North Korea sent notification yesterday demanding the data, saying that the North has been pressing Seoul to release companies’ accounting reports since last month.

The spokeswoman explained that among the 106 firms operating in the industrial complex, 62 have either invested more than one million dollars in the park or surpassed yearly sales revenues of three million dollars. She said all 62 are required to submit their accounting reports to the North by the end of March.

Lee said, however, that only one-third of those companies have submitted their reports so far due to inter-Korean traffic restrictions, put in place by North Korea, that have hindered firms’ ability to meet the deadline.