SEOUL // North Korea on Thursday ordered all South Koreans to leave the jointly-run Kaesong industrial zone immediately and announced it was seizing all materials left in the complex.
The announcement by the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea followed Seoul’s decision on Wednesday to shut down Kaesong operations as punishment for the North’s recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch.
In a statement published by the official KCNA news agency, the committee said it was closing Kaesong and declaring it a military area.
It also announced the cutting of all military communications with South Korea, including the main channel through the border truce village of Panmunjom.
It did not specify how long the links would be severed.
“South Korean enemy forces will experience themselves the harsh and painful price they should pay for halting the Kaesong industrial complex,” it said.
“We seize all assets of the South Korean companies and related organisations including machinery, raw materials and goods,” the statement said.
* Agence France-Presse
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others
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Company: Eco Way
Started: December 2023
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Industry: Electric vehicles
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hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
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Diipa Khosla started out as a social media manager before branching out to become one of India's biggest fashion influencers, with collaborations including MAC Cosmetics.
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Komal Pandey is a fashion influencer who has partnered with more than 100 brands, including Olay and smartphone brand Vivo India.
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Source: Hireinfluence, various
Honeymoonish
Director: Elie El Samaan
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Rating: 3/5
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Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
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Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
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Juventus v Olympiakos
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