Seoul to appoint Korean Peninsula peace envoy

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks during a joint policy briefing by the foreign ministry and the unification Ministry at Government Complex Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

The Ministry of Unification said Friday that it is moving to appoint a special envoy for peace on the Korean Peninsula, as the Lee Jae Myung administration seeks new diplomatic channels to revive dialogue with North Korea amid prolonged tensions.

The plan was outlined during the ministry’s policy briefing to the president, where officials said the envoy would be tasked with engaging key countries and international partners to explain Seoul’s peace initiatives and explore ways to restart talks. This reflects the government’s intention to play a more proactive role as a direct stakeholder in efforts to ease inter-Korean tensions.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said South Korea should play a more active role in shaping discussions on the Korean Peninsula, emphasizing that Seoul must not remain on the sidelines of diplomacy concerning its own future.

“The Korean Peninsula issue is ultimately our own problem, and we need to strengthen our role as a direct party in pushing the process forward,” he said during the briefing. He added that the proposed peace envoy would help to communicate Seoul’s position more effectively and assess the perspectives of other relevant countries.

Speaking to reporters after the briefing, Chung said that the peace envoy initiative is intended to help build momentum for renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue, pointing to what he described as a potentially important diplomatic opportunity in April, when U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing.

“The period up to April, when President Trump visits China, will be critical,” Chung said. “We see this as an important opportunity to help create conditions for a resumption of dialogue between the United States and North Korea.”

Chung also outlined longer-term plans aimed at expanding inter-Korean exchanges, should conditions allow.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a joint policy briefing by the foreign ministry and the unification ministry at Government Complex Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

“We are preparing various ideas so that, when the situation permits, exchanges can move forward without delay,” he said, citing proposals such as a high-speed rail link between Seoul and Beijing via the Korean Peninsula and tourism initiatives centered on North Korea’s Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort area.

He added that the ministry plans to first pursue tourism programs targeting overseas Koreans, including those holding foreign passports, as an initial step.

“Starting with overseas Koreans is a realistic and practical approach,” Chung said. “These are preparatory measures that can be activated depending on developments in the security and diplomatic environment.”

The briefing also addressed the issue of public access to North Korean media, including Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party. Lee questioned the rationale behind blocking access to such content, saying restrictions based on concerns that the public could be influenced by propaganda were an underestimation of citizens’ judgment.

“Assuming that people would be easily swayed by such material is, in itself, an underestimation of the public,” Lee said during the policy briefing.

In response, the ministry clarified that simply viewing North Korean media is not currently punishable by law. It added that access restrictions have largely been administrative rather than criminal in nature. The ministry said it would take another look at how information on North Korea is handled, and consider whether current restrictions are still appropriate.

Officials stressed that the review does not imply an immediate or unconditional opening of all North Korean content, but rather a reassessment of policies governing access and information control. The ministry said the discussion reflected a broader effort to balance security considerations with principles of openness and public trust.

The latest policy directions come as the Lee administration signals a shift toward engagement-oriented measures aimed at stabilizing inter-Korean relations, while making clear that no major policy changes would take place immediately.