Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Time: 10:30-10:38 A.M.
1. Vice Minister’s Schedule
Vice Minister Kim Soo Kyung will attend the cabinet meeting on June
19 at 10 A.M.
On June 20, at 9:30 A.M., Vice Minister Kim will attend the vice
ministers’ conference.
2. Q&A
Q. An abductee family group claims that they will stop flying
balloons toward the North if the President sits down for a meal with them.
A. The Ministry will listen attentively to the voices of abductee
families. Resolving the abductee issue calls for joint efforts through dialogue.
Q. This is a very important issue, especially since the President
yesterday gave instructions to take firm action. The families of
abductees are not even asking for repatriation – they simply want
confirmation of fate. Has the Government never once made such a
request to the North?
A. The Unification Ministry is committed to creating conditions
conducive to resolving the issue, including resuming inter-Korean
dialogue. The Government has previously explored the matter of
securing information on the fate of abductees through the inter-Korean
Red Cross talks.
Q. Representative of the Association of the Families of Those
Abducted by North Korea emphasized freedom of speech. Does the
Ministry still hold the same position on the Constitutional Court’s
decision regarding freedom of expressiσn?
A. From the perspective of managing the situation on the Korean
Peninsula and ensuring the lives and safety of our people, requesting
a cease to the dissemination of leaflets does not go against the
Constitutional Court’s ruling.
Q. You said earlier that there had been a request for confirmation
of fate through the Red Cross – this did not happen during the Yoon
Suk Yeol administration, right? When was the last time this issue was
raised through the Red Cross channel?
A. There were no inter-Korean talks during the Yoon Suk Yeol
administration. There have been around ten Red Cross meetings in the
past, during which this issue was approached as part of the broader
separated family issue.
Q. I am aware that the Ministry is scheduled to hold a meeting
regarding this issue today. Could you share in advance what the
meeting will cover?
A. Today’s meeting will focus on developing a comprehensive
inter-agency response plan concerning the distribution of leaflets
toward the North, including preventive measures and punitive actions
in line with the President’s directive.
Q. The families have repeatedly requested a meeting with the
President, saying they would stop their actions once such opportunity
realizes. Has the Ministry ever sat down for a meal or meeting with
the families? When was the most recent occasion?
A. While I cannot specify the most recent date, the Ministry has
been engaging with them regularly.
Q. The first Unification Minister under the Yoon Suk Yeol
administration stated that punishing through indirect legal means
constitutes a direct violation of the Constitutional Court’s intent.
Are such remarks accurate?
A. The Constitutional Court ruled that completely restricting and
criminally penalizing such activities under the Development of
Inter-Korean Relations Act was unconstitutional, particularly in terms
of causality. However, the Court’s decision in September 2023 also
acknowledged the possible need for legislative measures to regulate
leaflet distribution.
Q. Former Minister Kwon Youngse criticized that using laws such as
the Aviation Safety Act, the Framework Act on the Management of
Disasters and Safety, or the High-Pressure Gas Safety Control Act to
impose penalties violates the intent of the Constitutional Court’s
ruling. Do you think the former Minister’s statement is valid?
A. It is my understanding that each law is enforced based on the
intent of its respective legislation. Such matters can be discussed in
today’s meeting.
