North Korea has resumed Kaesong factory operations, running several South Korean-built facilities without permission, according to new intelligence and satellite data. The discovery underscores rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula as Pyongyang quietly restarts economic activities in the long-closed inter-Korean zone.
On November 5, South Korea’s Defense Intelligence Agency briefed lawmakers that North Korea had begun operating several factories inside the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The complex, once a key symbol of economic cooperation, has remained closed since 2016 when Seoul suspended it over Pyongyang’s nuclear provocations.
Satellite imagery supports the agency’s claim, confirming active Kaesong factory operations in at least five buildings. Infrared data from the U.S. Landsat-8 satellite detected strong heat signatures, a clear sign of running machinery. Factories once owned by South Korean firms, including Amos and Samas Electronics, showed the highest heat activity. Analysts believe these plants are now producing automobile parts, stationery, and daily goods.
Three other factories—Jaeyoung Solutec, In the F, and Seokchon Ceramics—also emitted strong heat readings. These facilities previously made electronics, women’s clothing, and ceramics. The findings suggest that North Korea is exploiting old South Korean infrastructure to produce consumer goods, intensifying unauthorized Kaesong factory operations.
In contrast, the 15-story Kaesong Industrial Complex Support Center lies in near ruin. Satellite images show its stripped interiors and scattered debris, with parts of the building close to collapse. The Inter-Korean Liaison Office, once a hub for cooperation, was destroyed by North Korea in 2020, leaving the site deserted.
Experts say restarting legitimate Kaesong factory operations would require major political shifts and eased sanctions. Pyongyang would need to show real intent to cooperate, while Seoul must navigate complex diplomatic and security barriers. Still, some South Korean firms remain hopeful about future re-engagement if conditions improve.
For now, North Korea appears focused on deepening ties with Russia and China. The renewed Kaesong factory operations show Pyongyang’s strategy to repurpose abandoned assets and quietly sustain its struggling economy.
