Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
'Korean unification is consequence, should not be goal'
World Taekwondo Executive Deputy Secretary General Kim Eil-chul gives a special lecture at the College of Human Ecology building at Seoul National University (SNU) in Seoul, Wednesday. Attendees included SNU Vice President for Research Affairs Noh Dong-young and College of Human Ecology Associate Dean Kwon Young-hye. Korea Times photo by Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
Unification should not be a government goal, but rather a consequence the people of South and North Korea can expect and hope for from their exchanges and cooperation, an international sports organization executive said.
During a special lecture at Seoul National University on Wednesday, World Taekwondo (WT) Executive Deputy Secretary General Kim Eil-chul said promoting unification as a lofty goal of the government is hindering ― not helping ― the process.
“For unification, let's not talk about unification for now because it is not the time,” Kim said. “I believe the word (unification) has violent connotations … Imagine unifying vastly different countries when they are not ready. The peaceful kind of unification that we all want will take time. In that sense, the government needs to change the name of the Ministry of Unification and redefine its roles to something like the Ministry of Inter-Korean Cooperation.”
In the 1950s, unification with the hostile North was a military goal of South Korea. But in the 1960s and '70s, it turned into a political project governed by the ministry. But trying to find a political solution has proved extremely difficult, if not impossible. This is why he thinks a political approach should be the last ― not the first ― step in the process.
“If history is any guide, government-led unification efforts carry big risks,” Kim said. “One of the obvious risks is transfer of political power from one party to another, which always leads to change of the ministry's officials and policies. This explains why, at one point, we feel that unification may be just around the corner and then realize that we are back at square one.
“The government should allow more non-governmental exchanges, which can keep Koreans in the South and North close, even at a time of political crisis.”
Athletes from World Taekwondo and the International Taekwondo Federation celebrate their successful joint performance at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland, April 12 (local time). Courtesy of World Taekwondo
Sports can play a bigger role
Remember the PyeongChang Winter Olympics? It was the power of sports that saved Korea from the last major political crisis following a rocket launch and nuclear test by Pyongyang in 2018.
Sports, Kim said, has proved to be the most effective means of bringing the Koreas together and should play a bigger role in improving their relations and increasing exchanges.
As leader of WT's “One Taekwondo” project, Kim experienced how sports can bridge the gap.
In November, WT, led by South Korean Choue Chung-won, and the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), under the leadership of North Korean Ri Yong-son, agreed to create a joint organization to narrow their differences in governing the sport. This came decades after the two global taekwondo bodies had refused to recognize each other.
Six months later at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne and the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland, WT and ITF staged a joint performance to commemorate the 25th anniversary of taekwondo becoming an Olympic sport.
“All this was possible thanks to the power of sports, and our trust built on it has been stable even after the unsuccessful U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi,” Kim said. “When times are tough, sports can provide a reason for talks and cooperation.”
How about a joint body for all sports?
Creating a political confederation between the South and North has long remained just an idea, for many reasons. Kim suggested the government should consider a more realistic option ― setting up a joint organization for all sports.
“One of the major obstacles to inter-Korean sports exchanges is a mismatch between the top sports officials of the two Koreas,” he said. “While North Korea's National Athletics Guidance Committee Chairman Choe Hwi is regarded as one of the top officials in its government, a vice minister is in charge of sports in South Korea. A joint organization can solve this issue and bring more sports exchanges. It will function as an important platform where the two Koreas can work together for many projects and a truly sustainable peace.”