SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has decided to shut down a jointly-run factory park with the Republic of Korea (ROK), following Seoul's decision to stop operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the ROK's Yonhap news agency reported Thursday.

The DPRK said it will deport all of South Korean residents staying at the inter-Korean industrial zone in the DPRK's border city of Kaesong by 5:30 pm local time, declaring the factory park as a military-controled area.

Pyongyang will cut off military communication lines with the ROK, and close off inter-Korean communication channels at the border village of Panmunjom, Yonhap reported, citing a statement from the DPRK's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.