Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said that the relative success of Kaesong in comparison to North Korea's weak homegrown economic and other achievements may have represented an uncomfortable truth that the regime opted to eliminate.

WSJ: Last Workers Pull Out of Kaesong Plant as North-South Korea Ties Fray

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Scott A. Snyder.

CNN: Why North Korea regime is scary

"If a political issue emerges to turn apathy into opposition, there is a real possibility that street demonstrations similar to those that occurred in the early days of the Lee Myung-bak administration could further hamper Park's ability to get things done, " Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said in a blog posting Wednesday.

NPR: South Korean Prez Stumbles In First Month On Job