The government has denied media reports that North Korea notified South Korean companies at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex to leave by Wednesday.

A South Korean government official said the government will adjust the number of South Koreans who will stay at the inter-Korean joint venture through discussions with the association of South Korean firms in Gaeseong.

The official added that the government will respect the South Korean companies' stance on the issue but intervene in the matter in accordance with its basic responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of the people.

The official said that there is no change in the government’s position that operations should be normalized in Gaeseong, stressing that Seoul will never be the first to mention the suspension or shutdown of the industrial complex and the withdrawal of South Korean workers.

Regarding the South Korean companies’ financial losses, the official explained that they will be compensated based on the insurance for inter-Korean economic exchange projects.