North Korean Extortion Racket Taken To New Level

That is, it's comments and actions are more insane than usual. They're now demanding an increase in rent of 3,000% for a jointly operated industrial park.

North Korea demanded a 3,000 percent hike in rent Thursday from South Korea for the site of a joint industrial park at the center of a dispute roiling their relations. It also sought a more than fourfold increase in wages for North Korean workers employed by South Korean companies at the park, an official said.

The unexpectedly large demand is likely to set back reconciliation moves between the two countries, which have been slowed enormously by North Korea's recent nuclear and missile tests and the detention of a South Korean worker at the industrial park in Kaesong, a North Korean border town.

More than 100 South Korean companies have factories in the park, employing some 40,000 North Koreans. They are paid about $70 a month on average.

If I were the South Koreans, I'd do one of two things. Ignore the demands or I'd tell the North that effective immediately, all further production at the facility is closed because of higher costs of production.

The South is subsidizing the North's industrial base with this facility, which employs 40,000 North Koreans. They're pawns in the regime's game of extortion from the rest of the world. They figure that the South will capitulate.

The North also wanted the South to subsidize still higher wages and send even more money the North's way.

It's an extortion racket, and until someone stands up to the regime, they'll continue down this path.