“When the administration changes, like Park Geun-hye’s ‘unification bonanza’ theory, it will disappear like dust.”,
President Yoon Suk-yeol delivering a speech for the 79th Liberation Day at Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul on the 15th. Presidential Communication Office,
, ‘President Yoon Suk-yeol’s ‘vision for unification and strategy for unification’ that he revealed at the 79th Liberation Day commemoration on the 15th is a significant ‘defection declaration’ from the history of administrations since the Park Chung-hee government. The core of the post-division unification and inter-Korean agreements from past governments, such as the ‘7.4 South-North Joint Statement’ in 1972, the official unification plan of the South Korean government since 1994, the ‘Unified Korea Community Unification Plan,’ and the 1991 South-North Basic Agreement, emphasizes ‘mutual respect, reconciliation, cooperation, peaceful coexistence, and agreement-oriented unification.’,
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, ‘However, President Yoon stated, “The freedom we enjoy should be extended to the kingdom of the impoverished and starving North, where freedom has been deprived.” He declared to promote the “Unification Republic of Korea” by waving the flag of ‘Yoon Suk-yeol style freedom’ and pushing for ‘absorption unification.’ This declaration conflicts with the government’s official policy of not pursuing ‘absorption unification.’,
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, Declaration of ‘Freedom’s Advance’,
, ‘President Yoon emphasized that in order to make the North Korean residents earnestly desire freedom unification, we must expand the values of freedom to the North. He then stated that he will expand the ‘right to access information’ so that North Korean residents can access various external information and establish a ‘North Korean Freedom Human Rights Fund’ to actively support private activities.’,
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, ‘This means using ‘civilian’ activities to inject ‘external information’ into the North. This directly conflicts with Articles 1-4 of the South-North Basic Agreement, which specifies mutual system respect, no interference in internal affairs, prohibition of defamation and disparagement, and prohibition of destruction and overthrow acts. It is obvious that this will bring about a ‘hostile reaction’ from the North, just as the distribution of anti-North leaflets by defector organizations turns back as ‘garbage balloons.’,
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, President’s Proposal for ‘Practical Dialogue’,
, ‘President Yoon proposed the establishment of a ‘dialogue consultation body’ at the operational level between the authorities of the South and the North. It is the first time after taking office that President Yoon proposed a dialogue that he directly regulated the form, status, and theme of the South-North dialogue. A senior official at the presidential office explained, “Surprise event-like meetings where the leaders of the South and North meet to shake hands are not helpful.” This is a rejection of the ‘top-down’ approach that the previous Moon Jae-in government attempted to promote relationship development through three inter-Korean summits in 2018.’,
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, ‘The problem is that the likelihood of the North responding to President Yoon’s dialogue proposal shouting out ‘Freedom’s Advance’ and ‘Unification Republic of Korea’ is close to 0%. Furthermore, Kim Jong-un, the chairman of the State Affairs Commission, recently declared, “South Korean garbage are unwavering enemies, thorough foreigners,” announcing a complete severance of relations. Yang Mujin, a professor at Pyongyang University of North Korea, criticized President Yoon’s dialogu…