2024 Unification Ministry’s Key Policy Agenda
A United Korean Peninsula:
Pioneering Freedom and Prosperity
for All South and North Koreans
2024 Charts the Course of Unification Grounded in Liberal Democracy
March 8, 2024
The Ministry of Unification announces the unveiling of three key
tasks aimed at laying the foundation for a united Korean Peninsula
that is free and at peace:
1. To accurately understand and disseminate information about the
realities of North Korea as the beginning phase toward unification.
2. To continue efforts to enhance human rights conditions in North
Korea and foster positive change within the country.
3. To empower North Korean residents with hope by supporting North
Korean defectors in successfully settling down and integrating into
society while building capacity for unification.
The Ministry of Unification, led by Minister Kim Yung Ho, announces
the 2024 Unification Ministry’s Key Policy Agenda on March 8, 2024.
Under the fundamental direction of establishing a sturdy foundation
for a united Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace, the Ministry
has identified three key tasks and twelve sub-tasks.
“Unification represents a mission to promote the universal
values of freedom and human rights.”
Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho briefed President Yoon Suk Yeol on
the direction of unification policies, including follow-up measures to
the March First Independence Movement Day address, at the Yongsan
Office on March 7. Minister Kim emphasized that unification serves as
both a historic national mission, ensuring the freedom and prosperity
of 26 million North Korean residents, and a global mission, advancing
universal values of freedom and human rights. The Minister affirmed
the Government’s commitment to advancing unification policies, which
includes fostering change in North Korea and strengthening our
society’s unification capabilities.
Minister Kim underscored the significance of the current moment,
noting that despite the Kim Jong Un regime’s declaration of the
Republic of Korea (ROK) as an enemy state and the formal abandonment
of the idea of a unified nation, it is imperative for our Government
to assert our vision of unification while upholding national unity in
an unwavering manner.
The unification policy extends into the daily lives of the
people, caring for their livelihoods and aiming for a brighter future.
The Ministry of Unification has aligned its direction with the
people-centered policy of the Yoon administration. The Ministry
strives to approach the general public and provide necessary services
and information; acknowledge those suffering from pain inflicted by
the North and promote change; and support the successful settlement of
North Korean defectors while pursuing future oriented unification policies.
The Ministry plans to expand nationwide services to the general
public, allowing them to engage with unification issues and embrace
unification culture in their daily lives. Additionally, the Ministry
aims to fulfill its national obligations toward abductees, detainees,
prisoners of war, and separated families who have suffered due to
North Korea’s actions. Furthermore, the Ministry is committed to
closely attending to the livelihoods of North Korean defectors.
Simultaneously, by providing settlement support for North Korean
defectors, the Ministry seeks to contribute to resolving societal
challenges such as social integration and balanced regional
development, thereby advancing a future-oriented unification policy.
The 2024 Unification Ministry’s Key Policy Agenda comprises the
following tasks.
❙ Task 1. Understand and Raise Awareness of
North Korea
Recognizing that the foundation of unification lies in comprehending
and accurately conveying the realities of North Korea, our first
primary focus for this year is on understanding and raising awareness
of North Korea.
Sub-task 1. Disseminate Awareness of North Korean Human Rights
Issues at Home and Abroad
“ The Ministry aim
s to shed light on the human rights
situation of North Korean residents, who are also citizens
of the Republic of Korea.”
The Ministry’s objective for this year is to advance with the
acquisition of land and architectural planning for the establishment
of the National North Korean Human Rights Center in Seoul by 2026.
Building on last year’s release of the inaugural North Korean Human
Rights Report, the Ministry will publish the 2024 edition this year.
The English version will be concurrently released, expanding to
address key issues such as (1) the implementation status of the
“Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act” of the North, (2) the
exploitation of North Korean overseas workers, (3) forced
repatriation, (4) the impact of COVID-19, and more. Furthermore, a
diverse array of initiatives will be launched to bolster the efforts
of civil society organizations dedicated to improving North Korean
human rights and to engage young individuals and non-Korean residents
in the ROK in addressing North Korean human rights issues.
Sub-task 2. Develop Content Depicting North Korea’s Reality
and Pursue Initiatives to Enhance Understanding of North
Korea
“ The Ministry
will create comprehensive materials and content to
accurately depict the reality of North Korea, informing the public.”
The Ministry of Unification utilized testimonies and surveys of
North Korean defectors to publish the Report on North Korean Economy
and Society as Perceived by 6,351 Defectors on February 6. Expanding
on this effort, we are arranging lectures, academic conferences, and
briefings for international organizations and diplomatic missions.
Additionally, the Ministry intends to host nationwide talk concerts
(public speaking events) on stories about North Korea throughout the
year together with North Korean defectors. Furthermore, the Ministry
aims to create various types of video content involving North Korean
defectors and ROK citizens from all walks of life in the planning
process, to be shared both domestically and internationally through YouTube.
Sub-task 3. Establish Correct Historical, National, Security,
and Unification Perspectives for Future Generations
“ The Ministry will
foster future generations with accurate awareness
both inside and outside schools, in collaboration with local communities.”
Recognizing that today’s youth and young adults will shape and
inhabit a unified Korea, the Ministry is dedicated to bolstering
unification education to cultivate accurate historical and unification
perspectives. To accomplish this objective, the Ministry of
Unification plans to enrich the content of our yearly basic
unification education textbooks, which are distributed to frontline
educational institutions, by integrating constitutional values.
Additionally, we aim to bolster teachers’ proficiency in unification
education and directly engage in devising unification education
programs to convey accurate historical perspectives. Notably, this
year, we intend to launch new experiential education programs on
unification and security at 50 locations nationwide, strengthening the
governance of unification education through coordination with various
levels of schools and regional unification education hubs*.
* 10 Regional Unification Education Centers, 13 Regional
Unification Halls, approximately 1,000 Unification Education
Commissioners, 8 Unification Leadership Universities, etc.
Sub-task 4. Expand Public Services in Providing Information
Resources on North Korea
“ The Ministry will utilize
big data to portray North Korea
and facilitate the exploration of unification in cultural spaces.”
The Ministryis committed to enhancing public access to information
about North Korea. The Ministry of Unification has improved the
functionality of the ‘North Korea Information Portal’ (tentative name)
with AI capabilities, which has been operational since March. The
Ministry will continue to refine and expand our online services.
Additionally, we are facilitating the construction ofthe Unification
Information Resource Center,a specialized library on unification and
North Korea, in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, aiming for completion by 2027.
Furthermore, we will ensure that comprehensive information about North
Korea reaches the public through various media channels.
❙ Task 2. Induce Change in North Korea
The Ministry will unwaveringly pursue a principled North Korea
policy to lead in improving human rights and inducing changes in North
Korea. In particular, the Ministry aims to help North Korean residents
confront the issues of totalitarianism and oppressive governance and
understand the root causes of poverty, thus striving to realize a
“free, unified Korean Peninsula where the people are its rightful owners.”
Sub-task 1. Strengthen Pressure for North Korean Human Rights
Improvement
“
The Ministry will help North Korean
residents awaken to human rights and drive change in North Korea.”
The Ministry will empower North Korean residents to develop
awareness of human rights by enhancing their access to information and
supporting efforts to effectively identify human rights abuses by the
North Korean authorities. Given that this year offers numerous
opportunities to address North Korean human rights issues, the
Ministry will proactively engage with the international community to
advocate for improvements. The Ministry plans to expand the scope of
the International Dialogue on North Korean Human Rights, first
convened in December last year, by holding it biannually. Furthermore,
the Ministry will incorporate the discourse that enhancing North
Korean human rights will lead to resolving North Korea’s nuclear issue
and realizing eventual unification into education materials on
unification and security for wider dissemination.
Sub-task 2. Strengthen Efforts to Address Human Rights Abuses
Against ROK Citizens by North Korea
“ The Ministry
is committed to fulfilling our national duty
by ensuring that not a single citizen’s suffering is
left behind .”
The Ministry will work with the international community to raise
awareness of the issues concerning ROK nationals who have been
abducted, detained, and captured as prisoners of war by North Korea,
applying pressure on the regime. The Ministrywill also foster national
consensus through cultural approaches such as the forget-me-not
project and exhibitions. Additionally, we will conduct investigations
in collaboration with relevant agencies to provide substantial
assistance to the 98 families of abduction victims after the Korean
War who have not applied for compensation. Meanwhile, considering the
aging* separated families, the Ministry will shorten the survey cycle
from five to three years and conduct the fourth survey of separated
families (originally planned for 2026) two years earlier, expanding
support for genetic testing for second and third-generation separated
families and those living abroad.
*Among applicants for separated family reunions, only 29% are
confirmed to be alive, with those aged 80 and above comprising 68%
of the survivors, and those aged 100 and above accounting for 2.2%.
Sub-task 3. Uphold a Principles Based North Korea Policy to
Drive Change
“ The
Ministry will firmly respond to wrongful actions and
prioritize security, the cornerstone of people’s livelihoods.”
The Ministry will decisively address North Korean provocations and
threats while firmly maintaining a principles based approach to North
Korea policy. We will respond promptly to North Korea’s attempts to
destabilize our society and engage in psychological warfare, rallying
public opinion behind national unity. The Ministry will take legal
measures against North Korea’s illegal infringement of our properties,
such as the unauthorized operation of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex,
and collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to block North
Korea’s illicit financial channels. All the while, the Ministry’s
stance on dialogue with North Korea without preconditions remains unchanged.
❙ Task 3. Strengthen Unification Capabilities
The Ministry will provide policy support for the successful
settlement of North Korean defectors, while promoting their
integration experiences within society to foster tangible progress in
the unification progress. The Ministry will also undertake various
initiatives to enhance national unification capabilities and establish
a firm foundation for unification both nationally and internationally.
Sub-task 1: Enhance Support Systems and Strengthen Settlement
Assistance for North Korean Defectors
“ The Ministry is
committed to upgrading policies to provide effective support
for North Korean defectors.”
The Ministry, upon designation of July 14 as North Korean Defectors’
Day,will commemorate their successful settlement stories and convey
messages of hope to the 26 million North Korean residents. Through
collaboration with entities such as the Peaceful Unification Advisory
Council and the Presidential Committee of National Cohesion, the
Ministry will launch mentoring initiatives and social awareness
campaigns to highlight the invaluable contributions of North Korean
defectors to our society. As we prepare to introduce the Fourth Master
Plan for Settlement Support of North Korean Defectors (2024-2026), our
focus will shift from individual-centered to family-centered support,
with a particular emphasis on empowering the lives of female
defectors, who make up 75% of the total. Furthermore, we will
continually enhance the support system for North Korean defectors,
including legislative reforms aimed at addressing any existing gaps in
settlement assistance.
Sub-task 2. Strengthen Self-Reliance and Self-Sufficiency
Support for North Korean Defectors and Offer Intensive Assistance to
Crisis Households
“ The
Ministry is committed to addressing
the blind spots in settlement support and providing thorough assistance.”
Recognizing that quality employment is key to successful settlement,
the Ministry will enhance vocational training from the foundational
education phase at the Settlement Support Center for North Korean
Refugees (Hanawon) and modernize advanced vocational training programs
(currently offering 15 options) to meet current demands. Our efforts
will persist in tailoring employment and entrepreneurship support
policies through the employment assistance program (“Employment
Success Package”). Moreover, the Ministry will facilitate North Korean
defectors’ acquisition of professional qualifications and completion
of higher education programs to cultivate expertise across various domains.
The Ministry will target deficiencies within the existing settlement
support system, including bolstering education and vocational training
support for third-country-born children and fostering collaboration
among government agencies, public institutions, and specialized
psychological treatment facilities (in the private sector) to
establish a systematic approach for trauma therapy at different
settlement stages. Additionally, plans are in place to establish a
trauma treatment center for North Korean defectors at the Hanawon
branch in Hwacheon by the end of this year. The Ministry will continue
to monitor and provide proactive support for households categorized as
high-risk crisis groups under government management while utilizing
this year’s newly established financial incentive (“Fresh Start
Incentive”) to enhance the self-reliance of North Korean defectors.
Sub-task 3. Establish a Peaceful Unification Foundation Based
on a Liberal Democratic Order
“
The Ministry will build a unification
foundation rooted in the constitution, reflecting the future desired
by our citizens.”
The Ministry’s strategy involves articulating a vision of a unified
Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace, drawing strength from
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s philosophy of freedom, and fostering
discourse to support new initiatives for unification. The Ministry
will promote unification discourse and hold public debates and
cultural events to underscore the profound interconnectedness of the
unification issue with every facet of everyday lives. Furthermore,
with the forthcoming inauguration of the Gangwon Province Unification
Plus Center in Chuncheon as the second regional hub later this year,
the Ministry anticipates an expansion of regionally-tailored
unification administrative services.
Sub-task 4. Advance Unification Capabilities Across All
Fronts
“ The
Ministry will robustly enhance unification
capabilities to instill confidence among our citizens.”
The Ministry will devise and execute a comprehensive plan to bolster
unification capacities across diverse sectors and phases at
governmental levels, all in pursuit of a unification grounded in
liberal democracy. By fortifying the upcoming second-term Unification
Future Planning Committee, set to commence in March, with members
comprising North Korean defectors, youth, foreigners, and academic
experts, the Ministry aims to craft a unification pathway that
resonates with the majority of Korean Peninsula residents.
Sub-task 5. Strengthen Solidarity with the International
Community to Foster a Favorable Environment for Unification
“ The
Ministry will spearhead and promote unification
policies endorsed by the international community.”
The Ministry will convene the ‘International Dialogue on Unification
Cooperation’ (tentative name), engaging nations that share our values,
such as the United States, Japan, and European countries. Furthermore,
we will strengthen collaboration with embassies in the ROK as well as
the United Nations Command and its member states. Concurrently, the
Ministrywill disseminate the vision of unification based on liberal
democracy, as articulated in the Camp David Principles and the
President Yoon’sMarch First Independence Movement Day address. As a
pioneering step, we will launch the inaugural ‘Global Survey on
Unification Awareness’ (tentative name), aiming to rally international
support for the necessity and significance of unification on the
Korean Peninsula. Additionally, the Ministry will actively pursue
diverse public diplomacy initiatives, reaching out to overseas
research institutions, expatriate communities, and international
students studying in the country to effectively raise awareness about unification.
* Unofficial translation
