Unification ministry greenlights NGO outreach to North Korea

Kaepung County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, is seen from an observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, June 19. Yonhap

The Ministry of Unification recently approved a series of requests from civic groups to establish contact with North Korea, signaling the Lee Jae Myung administration’s push to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.

According to the ministry Wednesday, three such approvals have been granted since June 19, with the most recent occurring the previous day.

"Following consultations with relevant government agencies, we have approved civilian requests to contact North Korean residents about humanitarian aid, as well as religious, social and cultural exchange purposes," a ministry official said.

The official added that the decision was aimed at restoring communication channels between the two Koreas at the civilian level and fostering a peaceful atmosphere on the Korean Peninsula.

On Tuesday, the ministry approved a request from the Foundation for Inter-Korea Cooperation, a private nonprofit organization, to engage North Korean residents through online cultural exchanges. The foundation is currently led by Im Jong-seok, who served as presidential chief of staff under former President Moon Jae-in, who sought inter-Korean rapprochement.

Under the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, any contact between South Korean civilians and North Korean residents must be reported in advance to the Ministry of Unification. The ministry may reject such requests if they are deemed to pose a threat to national security, public order or public welfare.

The ministry's recent approvals mark the first such clearances since last August, when a limited number of requests for humanitarian aid were granted following severe flooding in North Korea. Such cases were extremely rare under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which had de facto banned civilian contact with the North as part of its hardline stance on Pyongyang.

In contrast, the Lee administration has signaled its intent to renew engagement and dialogue with the North.

The nominee for unification minister, Chung Dong-young, said Tuesday that restoring inter-Korean communication channels would be his top priority if confirmed.

"The current situation unfolded during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, but that government has now faded into history. It is important to pursue a new inter-Korean relationship under the new administration," Chung told reporters, stressing his willingness to break the stalemate between the two Koreas.

Since taking office on June 4, the Lee government has halted military propaganda broadcasts aimed at the North, a move that Pyongyang apparently reciprocated by turning off its own loudspeakers near the border.

The administration has also urged local civic groups to suspend sending anti-North Korean leaflets, citing concerns about heightened tensions in the border regions.