Electricity to be Connected between South and North Korea

Starting March 16, electricity produced from the Korea Electric Power Corporation will be supplied to the Gaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea. This is the first time in 57 years for electricity to run between the two Koreas ever since the North, which had been supplying electricity to the South after its independence, suddenly cut the supply one day at 12:00 p.m. in 1948 on the grounds that the South had “not paid its bills.”

On March 14, an official at the Ministry of Unification said, “Having finished test transmissions and electricity safety tests, we will now be able to supply 15,000kW of electricity to the pilot Gaesong Industrial Complex with a distribution method using electric poles starting on the afternoon of March 16.”

Meanwhile, the government decided not to hold a ceremony that was planned for March 16 to commemorate this day, due to opposition from North Korea, which is against holding large events related to the Gaesong Industrial Complex.

taewon_ha@donga.com