A former Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC) CEO has described the reopening of the complex as a “matter of life and death for us”, in a debate on the issue at South Korea’s National Assembly on Monday.

“All we want from the government is its expression of willingness to reopen the compound,” one CEO told Lee Sang-min, an official from the Ministry of Unification (MoU), who gave a lengthy speech defending the ministry’s decision to close the compound in February last year.

“Stop making excuses! You are only making us mad!” the CEO added.

The debate was held between the government official,