Press Release (December 29)
Getting Inter-Korean Relations Right
and Preparing for National Unification
- MOU s Work Plan for 2011 -
Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek today reported the Ministry s work plan for 2011 to President Lee Myung-bak at 10 a.m. at the Blue House in the presence of 120 government officials and experts. The Minister s report was followed by a discussion on the government s North Korea policy to induce positive changes of North Korea.
During his report to the President, the Minister laid out:
l Three policy objectives for 2011: 1) inducing positive changes of North Korea, 2) getting inter-Korean relations right, 3) and preparing for national unification.
l Implementation strategies and core policy tasks were also set forth in order to accomplish these goals more effectively.
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Three Main
Policy Objectives
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1) Induce positive changes of North Korea
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2) Get inter-Korean relations right
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3) Prepare for unification
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Implementation Strategies
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1) Maintain consistency in North Korean policy
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2) Focus on the North Korean people
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3) Strengthen reciprocity
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4) Increase efforts to build a national consensus on unification
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Core Policy Tasks
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1) Induce fundamental changes of North Korea
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2) Encourage accountability and sincerity of the North Korean authorities
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3) Focus on the North Korean people in implementing the ROK s North Korea policy
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4) Increase efforts to prepare for unification
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5) Reform the system for inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation
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6) Actively pursue the resolution of humanitarian issues
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7) Implement a Hope Project to support North Korean refugees
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8) Strengthen national consensus on various fronts
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l Minister Hyun also expressed his determination to successfully implement the work plan in order to build the right inter-Korean relations and take a step closer to unification next year.
During the discussions on the government s North Korea policy directions to induce positive changes of North Korea,
l Minister Hyun proposed to 1) assess changes in North Korea 2) discuss policies to induce positive changes of the North, and 3) consider what the Unification Ministry should do to prepare for unification.
l Government officials and experts who joined the discussion expressed diverse opinions and the main points are as follows:
- First, although the views and perception of North Koreans are changing rapidly and such changes are spreading, it is unlikely that the North Korean authorities will change for the time being.
- Second, the ROK must take a new approach to North Korean residents to promote positive changes in North Korea.
- Third, the ROK needs to increase support for North Korean refugees and implement policies to improve North Korean human rights more actively with a view that such efforts help induce positive changes in North Korea.
- Fourth, specific preparations for unification must be made along with the Korean people and, in the long term, a strong foundation must be laid for peaceful unification on the Korean peninsula.
l Minister Hyun pledged to do his best to reflect such diverse opinions that were put forth at the discussion in developing and implementing the Ministry s policies.
Ministry of Unification
