Unification Spokesperson Commentary
March 27, 2015
- March 28th marks the first anniversary of President Park Geun-hye’s announcement of the 「Initiative for Peaceful Unification on the Korean Peninsula」 in Dresden, Germany.
- In the Dresden Initiative, the R.O.K. government presented the following proposals to North Korea to overcome various barriers created as a result of 70 years of division - 1.agenda for humanity to solve humanitarian issues 2.agenda for Co-prosperity to support the livelihood of people by building the necessary infrastructure 3.agenda for integration to recover the homogeneity between the people of South and North Korea
- Based on our reflection on the 20 years of inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, the Initiative laid out a “framework for sustainable cooperation” in order to improve inter-Korean relations and encourage exchange and cooperation that eventually lead to unification.
- In addition, the proposals on joint inter-Korean projects in the Initiative were presented as a direction for exchange and cooperation. They are open proposals in which the South is willing to engage in discussions with the North should it have any suggestions of its own.
- To implement the Initiative, the R.O.K. government consistently made proposals for inter-Korean talks (Aug.11, 2014, Oct.13, 2014, Dec.29, 2014) and promoted private humanitarian aid to the North, as well as social and cultural exchanges.
- It is regretful, however, that North Korea has misperceived the real intention of the Dresden Initiative and showed a passive attitude towards our proposal for inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation.
- If the North responds to our proposal, the Initiative will be mutually beneficial and serve as a foundation for enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the South and the North.
- We once again emphasize that the R.O.K. government will carry out the Dresden Initiative step by step and develop a channel for practical cooperation between the South and the North in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of national liberation. The R.O.K. government hopes to improve inter-Korean relations on the basis of trust built through the Initiative.
- To that end, we will continue to explore and carry out various inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects and cooperate closely with international civic organizations.
- The R.O.K. government hopes that North Korea will come forward with a positive response to our proposal and that it will join us in leading the way to the future of a unified Korea in which both the South and the North can prosper in peace.
