Inter-Korean liaison office to open this week

By Lee Min-hyung

The two Koreas will likely open a liaison office this week in the North's southern border city of Gaeseong amid expectations for its symbolic role as a de facto South Korean embassy there, according to Cheong Wa Dae and the unification ministry Tuesday.

The planned opening of the inter-Korean communication channel is part of the follow-up measures of the April 27 summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The South Korean government did not disclose details of its opening date and management plans, only saying that it will unveil them soon.

“The opening event of the office will be jointly held by the two Koreas,” the Ministry of Unification said Tuesday in a statement submitted to the National Assembly.

“Details for the event's timeline and participants will be confirmed after negotiations with North Korea,” it said. “We expect the office to help manage inter-Korean relations in a stable manner, as it allows the two Koreas to communicate in real-time.”

This came a day after the presidential house hinted Monday that Seoul and Pyongyang are in the final stage of narrowing their differences before opening the office.

“We have already come to terms with the North over details, and will make them public in the near future,” presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters in a media briefing.

“The inter-Korean liaison office is a fundamental step in alleviating military tension on the Korean Peninsula and bring lasting peace here,” Kim said. “The office will also contribute to speeding up the ongoing denuclearization dialogue between the United States and North Korea.”

The office is expected to help extend the warming inter-Korean relations, serving as the sole diplomatic communication channel between the two Koreas.

Last week, President Moon Jae-in also expressed hopes for the opening of the office, saying that the office will develop into a key place for meetings of delegations from the two sides.

He said the office comes with a symbolic connation in that it will allow the two Koreas to communicate live 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

The South Korean government is in a position that the liaison office will play a critical role to reduce inter-Korean military tension and enhance mutual trust from both sides, which Seoul believes is expected to help Washington and Pyongyang make smooth progress in their ongoing denuclearization talks.

But the planned opening of the office has drawn controversy here over reports that South Korea may have breached the international sanctions against North Korea, as Seoul has provided construction materials and energy for the office's opening.

Unification Minsiter Cho Myoung-gyon, however, countered that claim Tuesday.

“The materials are not provided for North Korea, but for South Korean citizens who will stay at the office after its opening,” Cho said. “This is not a breach of the sanctions on the North.”