The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Monday that it would withdraw all DPRK workers from the joint industrial park at the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The report cited the statement read by Kim Yang Gon, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party. "(The DPRK) pulls out all our employees working at the Kaesong industrial zone, " Kim said."(The DPRK) tentatively halts the industrial zone project, and will review whether to maintain or abolish (the zone). "

Kim stressed that it would be totally up to the South Korean authorities' behavior regarding how the situation would develop down the road.

The industrial park, launched in late 2004, is housing 123 South Korean companies that are employing some 54,000 DPRK workers.