国际英语新闻:S. Korea further restricts entry into joint factory park with DPRK

SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said Sunday that it plans to further restrict the entry of its nationals into a jointly-run factory park in the border town of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The number of South Koreans to be allowed to enter the Kaesong industrial complex will be reduced to 500 from the current limit of 650, the ministry said in a statement.

The reduction came after Pyongyang put an observation satellite into orbit aboard a long-range rocket, which Seoul considers a long-range ballistic missile. The DPRK is banned under UN Security Council resolutions from a test of ballistic missile technology.

It was an additional reduction made by the ministry following the DPRK's fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6.

The statement said the additional reduction will begin in consideration of safety of South Korean people working in the inter-Korean industrial zone.