Foreign, unification ministries at odds over consultative body on NK issues

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, left, speaks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during a parliamentary meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Nov. 28. Yonhap

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Unification appear to be at odds over the planned launch of a new South Korea-U.S. consultative body on North Korea's nuclear issues.

The unification ministry said Monday that it will not participate in the group, even as the foreign ministry moves ahead with plans to launch regular consultations on Tuesday.

The differing positions underscore a subtle power struggle between the two ministries. Officials at the unification ministry, which is in charge of inter-Korean affairs, appear concerned that the consultative body could be heavily influenced by U.S. decision-making.

The talks are intended to fine-tune the pace and direction of Seoul and Washington’s North Korea policy as the allies seek to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.

According to the foreign ministry, Jeong Yeon-doo, vice minister for intelligence and North Korean nuclear issues at the ministry, and acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim will lead the regular consultative meeting.

“As the consultations will focus on bilateral diplomatic agreements, our ministry has decided not to participate,” a unification ministry official said.

The official added that it will hold separate consultations with Washington if needed on North Korea-related issues, such as inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges.

The apparent reluctance reflects Unification Minister Chung Dong-young’s view that policies involving North Korea are a matter of sovereignty and should be led by the unification ministry.

"Policy on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean relations fall within the realm of sovereignty, and the Ministry of Unification is the main body responsible for consultations with allies," he said at a press briefing last week.

Chung later said that consultations between foreign ministries of the two nations should focus primarily on the broader alliance rather than North Korea.

The foreign ministry explained that working-level discussions with the U.S. on holding regular bilateral meetings regarding North Korea policy have been underway for several months.

"South Korea and the U.S. have been maintaining close communication and coordination on overall policy toward North Korea,” a foreign ministry official said. "The proposed meetings are fundamentally centered on follow-up discussions of the South Korea-U.S. joint fact sheet, and the document includes an agreement between the two leaders to cooperate on North Korea policy."

Kevin Kim, acting U.S. ambassador to Korea, attends a meeting with Jung Chung-rae, leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 2. Yonhap

The planned launch of the consultative body comes as the Lee Jae Myung government hopes to make tangible progress next year in its efforts to engage North Korea, which has remained unresponsive despite repeated overtures.

Some critics have warned that the initiative could resemble a revival of the previous South Korea-U.S. working group on North Korea policy, a bilateral mechanism established in 2018 and disbanded in 2021.

Then, the Moon Jae-in administration initially envisioned the working group as a channel for swiftly coordinating sanctions-related issues and facilitating inter-Korean exchanges during a period of thaw in relations. However, it later drew controversy for apparently allowing Washington to exert influence over Seoul's North Korea policy, at times slowing or blocking cooperation projects.

The working group was dissolved in June 2021. At the time, the foreign ministry said Seoul and Washington shared the view that, while the mechanism had positive aspects, it also produced unintended negative effects.

Amid the latest developments, a group of former unification ministers, including Kim Yeon-chul and Chung Se-hyun, issued a statement Monday calling on the foreign ministry to withdraw its plan to launch the regular consultative body with Washington.

"The foreign ministry lacks the expertise and understanding of inter-Korean relations required to oversee North Korea policy," the statement said. "That responsibility lies with the Ministry of Unification, which is the lead agency on the matter and is structured to coordinate across ministries in advancing talks in economic, military, humanitarian, social and cultural areas."