Do Je-hae edits news stories as part of the AI team.
Ministries remain apart over working group with US
Unification Minister Lee In-young answers questions during a session at the National Assembly, Sept. 29. He has stressed the need to revamp the Korea-U.S. working group. Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
By Do Je-hae
Seoul is facing internal conflict over adjusting the Korea-U.S. consultation framework on coordinating North Korea policies.
The Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have begun discussions to reorganize the Korea-U.S. working group, according to Rep. Jeon Hae-cheol of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), a member of the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification, Tuesday.
The Korea-U.S. working group was founded in 2018 for more effective bilateral discussions on primary issues related to security on the Korean Peninsula. But it has faced some criticism from supporters of the Moon Jae-in administration's pro-engagement policy on North Korea that it has prevented inter-Korean cooperation from moving forward.
According to a statement from Jeon's office, the two ministries have been conducting preliminary talks on revamping the working group, starting with a meeting Sept. 16 between Choi Young-joon, head of the Ministry of Unification's Policy Office, and Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Unification, which has been eager to restart inter-Korean projects under new Minister Lee In-young, is reportedly looking for ways for South Korea to take more of the initiative in implementing inter-Korean projects that are not bound by international sanctions against North Korea.
“We would like to reorganize the Korea-U.S. Working Group in a way that contributes to the development of inter-Korean relations and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” the Ministry of Unification said in a statement.
But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking a different stance on the issue as it believes that coordination with the U.S. is the key to dealing with North Korea.
“Both sides agreed that the Korea-U.S. working group is playing a faithful role as the center of South Korea-U.S. cooperation on North Korea,” the foreign ministry said.
After taking office, Unification Minister Lee has been trying to convince the U.S. of the need to readjust the bilateral working group to facilitate President Moon's push for visible progress in inter-Korean projects this year, despite the U.S. focus on sanctions and the deadlock in U.S.-North Korea denuclearization talks.
"The South Korea-U.S. working group was very efficient in terms of sanctions-related consultations, and but there is criticism that it has restricted inter-Korean relations," Lee said during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris, Aug. 18. "The South Korea-U.S. working group should play a clear role in promoting the development of inter-Korean relations and peace policies on the Korean Peninsula by readjusting and reorganizing its operations and functions.”