韩朝就滞留人员撤离开车的谈判取得进展

South Korea says it is making progress with the North on allowing the return of its workers who remain at a suspended joint industrial zone just north of the border.

But the South's Unification Ministry says more time is needed to resolve issues such as unpaid taxes and wages before the seven remaining South Koreans can leave the Kaesong industrial complex.

The last-minute dispute prevented the workers from leaving along with the last 43 South Koreans who returned home Monday. If they leave, it would break the final peaceful link between the two foes.

North Korea pulled its 53,000 workers and blocked South Korean entry to the facility last month, as part of its angry reaction to expanded United Nations sanctions against its latest nuclear test.