Kim Nam-joong, the newly appointed Vice Minister of Unification, stated, “We need to start with small steps, such as restoring communication lines between the two Koreas, to untangle the complicated strings of inter-Korean relations.”
In his inaugural address today (23rd), Vice Minister Kim mentioned, “Even if the road ahead seems long, we must build trust between the two Koreas slowly and steadily, without rushing.”
He further noted, “It has been quite a while since dialogue between the two Koreas was severed, and North Korea’s assertion as a ‘hostile two-state’ is widening the gap between us.”
Since April 7, 2023, North Korea has unilaterally cut the inter-Korean communication channels. Despite our side’s continued attempts to contact them twice daily, at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., there has been no response from North Korea.
Vice Minister Kim referred to President Lee Jae-myung’s comment, “Any peace, no matter how costly, is better than war,” and stated, “He mentioned that we will keep the communication channels with North Korea open and build peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation.”
He continued, “Now, as the Ministry of Unification transitions to a ministry that contributes to the people’s livelihood, we will devise policies related to the safety and development of residents in border areas, humanitarian aid for families of separated families, POWs, abductees, and detainees, and strengthened employment support for North Korean defectors.”
[Photo Source: Yonhap News / Provided by the Ministry of Unification]
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