By Yi Whan-woo
President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed Wednesday that South Korea would take initiative in resolving North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula.
"We should have a sense of ownership when it comes to related issues and make sure that we protect the peninsula for ourselves," the President said while being briefed on policy plans from the foreign affairs and unification ministries at the Government Complex in Seoul.
But he also stressed that the nation should address North Korea issues through its rock solid alliance with the United States and with cooperation from China and Russia.
Moon urged the unification ministry to play a leading role in resolving the issues and improving inter-Korean relations, adding its role had been significantly downsized under the 10 years of the former conservative Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye governments.
"There were talks over abolishing the unification ministry and it also did not raise its voice in deciding major policies. It will no longer be the case and I expect the ministry to play a leading and active role," Moon said.
Saying the unification ministry's role is immense in improving relations between the two Koreas and realizing a vision for economic cooperation, he asked ministry officials to have a "sense of duty" despite the tough challenges looming over the peninsula.
"Inter-Korean relations remain in deadlock because of North Korea's provocations but this is when the unification ministry should rather remain calm and make preparations (for reconciliation)," he said.
The President claimed that the roadmap for inter-Korean economic cooperation, which is aimed at forming a joint economic bloc for peace and prosperity, can serve as Seoul's new growth engine, creating more jobs and laying the groundwork for regional peace.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon co-led the briefing and a follow-up discussion with their officials.
"The two ministries had an in-depth discussion on peaceful and fundamental solutions to the North Korean nuclear crisis amid Pyongyang's series of provocations and its bellicose rhetoric," the two ministries said in a joint statement.
Kang said her ministry will ensure cooperation with the U.S., while boosting strategic communication with China and Russia to assure their "constructive roles" regarding North Korean issues. At the same time, the ministry will expand its "horizon of diplomacy" by reducing its dependence on four stakeholders in the peninsula ― the U.S., China, Japan and Russia ― and bolstering ties with the countries from ASEAN, Europe, the Pacific and the Middle East.
Cho vowed to restore inter-Korean dialogue channel and facilitate cross-border exchanges.
He reaffirmed the government's efforts to hold military and Red Cross talks ― Seoul initially proposed to hold the military talks to relieve tension on the border in late July and Red Cross talks in early August, but Pyongyang did not respond.
Cho said he will seek to expand exchanges at civic and local government levels, under a precondition that such efforts will not "disrupt international sanctions against North Korea."
The ministry pledged to make efforts to first settle such issues as the reunions of separated families, and the return of prisoners of war and South Koreans detained in the North, as well as offering humanitarian aid for the impoverished regime.
Other reconciliatory measures suggested were North Korea's participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, cooperation on religious, academic and cultural issues, and a joint response to natural disasters.
To raise public awareness on peace and unification, the ministry said it will run programs to help North Korean defectors better adapt to South Korean society, and step up support for entrepreneurs who ran factories at the now-closed joint industrial park in Gaeseong, North Korea.
President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed Wednesday that South Korea would take initiative in resolving North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula.
"We should have a sense of ownership when it comes to related issues and make sure that we protect the peninsula for ourselves," the President said while being briefed on policy plans from the foreign affairs and unification ministries at the Government Complex in Seoul.
But he also stressed that the nation should address North Korea issues through its rock solid alliance with the United States and with cooperation from China and Russia.
Moon urged the unification ministry to play a leading role in resolving the issues and improving inter-Korean relations, adding its role had been significantly downsized under the 10 years of the former conservative Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye governments.
"There were talks over abolishing the unification ministry and it also did not raise its voice in deciding major policies. It will no longer be the case and I expect the ministry to play a leading and active role," Moon said.
Saying the unification ministry's role is immense in improving relations between the two Koreas and realizing a vision for economic cooperation, he asked ministry officials to have a "sense of duty" despite the tough challenges looming over the peninsula.
"Inter-Korean relations remain in deadlock because of North Korea's provocations but this is when the unification ministry should rather remain calm and make preparations (for reconciliation)," he said.
The President claimed that the roadmap for inter-Korean economic cooperation, which is aimed at forming a joint economic bloc for peace and prosperity, can serve as Seoul's new growth engine, creating more jobs and laying the groundwork for regional peace.
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon co-led the briefing and a follow-up discussion with their officials.
"The two ministries had an in-depth discussion on peaceful and fundamental solutions to the North Korean nuclear crisis amid Pyongyang's series of provocations and its bellicose rhetoric," the two ministries said in a joint statement.
Kang said her ministry will ensure cooperation with the U.S., while boosting strategic communication with China and Russia to assure their "constructive roles" regarding North Korean issues. At the same time, the ministry will expand its "horizon of diplomacy" by reducing its dependence on four stakeholders in the peninsula ― the U.S., China, Japan and Russia ― and bolstering ties with the countries from ASEAN, Europe, the Pacific and the Middle East.
Cho vowed to restore inter-Korean dialogue channel and facilitate cross-border exchanges.
He reaffirmed the government's efforts to hold military and Red Cross talks ― Seoul initially proposed to hold the military talks to relieve tension on the border in late July and Red Cross talks in early August, but Pyongyang did not respond.
Cho said he will seek to expand exchanges at civic and local government levels, under a precondition that such efforts will not "disrupt international sanctions against North Korea."
The ministry pledged to make efforts to first settle such issues as the reunions of separated families, and the return of prisoners of war and South Koreans detained in the North, as well as offering humanitarian aid for the impoverished regime.
Other reconciliatory measures suggested were North Korea's participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, cooperation on religious, academic and cultural issues, and a joint response to natural disasters.
To raise public awareness on peace and unification, the ministry said it will run programs to help North Korean defectors better adapt to South Korean society, and step up support for entrepreneurs who ran factories at the now-closed joint industrial park in Gaeseong, North Korea.
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