UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed hope that South and North Korea can use dialogue to resolve the issue of the troubled inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex.

Ban’s spokesperson said Thursday that the UN chief “remains seriously concerned about the suspension of the Gaesong Industrial Complex” and that he “sincerely hopes the operation of the complex can return to normal as soon as possible through dialogue.”

Ban described the industrial park as a “successful example of inter-Korean cooperation which has promoted economic growth and served as a bridge between the two Koreas.”

The spokesperson added that Ban believes that the Gaeseong complex should not be affected by political and security considerations.