North Korea for second day turned back South Korean armored trucks transporting wages into the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex on Tuesday.

A Woori Bank spokesman said the bank attempted to send the cars into the complex on Monday and Tuesday but the North refused to let them enter. "Even until last week, we thought North Korea would allow vehicles carrying dollars to enter, but they were blocked along with other cars," the spokesman added.

The 53,000 North Korean workers at the complex get paid on the 10th of each month, but they are likely to get paid on time. Each North Korean worker there earns $134 a month, bringing the total to $8 million.

The industrial park accounts for an estimated 12 percent of the North's total dollar revenues.

The Woori branch in the complex opened in December 2004 and is the only South Korean bank in the North. Most of its operations revolve around payment of wages so it does not post a significant profit. But it s symbolic importance prompted Woori and Hana banks to compete for the right to open a branch there.

Three South Koreans and four North Koreans work at the branch, but the North Koreans did not show up on Tuesday.

At present, the branch's vault contains only around $300,000, way below the average balance of $500,000.

