A soon-to-open inter-Korean joint liaison office in Kaesong is not linked to any plans for the reopening of the now-shuttered Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC), South Korea’s unification minister said on Tuesday.

In an interview with local broadcaster SBS, Minister of Unification Cho Myoung-gyon said the KIC was one of several potential candidate locations for the “joint liaison office with resident representatives of both sides” agreed on by the two Koreas at last week’s summit.

The office will “facilitate close consultation between the authorities as well as smooth exchanges and cooperation between the people,” according to Friday’s Panmunjom Declaration.

“The Kaesong Industrial