Date: Monday, June 14, 2021
Time: 10:30-10:42 A.M.
1. Government position regarding the 21st anniversary of the June 15
Joint Declaration
Tomorrow marks the 21st anniversary of the June 15 Joint
Declaration, signed by the leaders of the two Koreas in 2000. I would
like to offer the Government’s position on this anniversary.
The June 15 Joint Declaration, which was the first inter-Korean
summit agreement after the division of the Korean Peninsula, holds
historical significance as it opened a new era of reconciliation,
cooperation, peace and unification between the South and the North. In
the process of implementing the agreements of the Joint Declaration,
dialogue and cooperation were pursued in various fields. The two
Koreas carried out government-level talks, held reunions of separated
families, launched Mount Geumgang tours, established the Gaeseong
Industrial Complex, connected roads and railways, and promoted
private-level cooperation. These achievements contributed to the
improvement of North Korea-U.S. relations, leading to the signing of a
Joint Communique in 2000.
The outcomes of the June 15 Joint Declaration laid the foundation
for the peace process on the Korean Peninsula. The Government will
make utmost efforts to advance the peace process by consistently
pursuing all inter-Korean agreements.
We urge the North to return to the spirit of the June 15 Joint
Declaration and respond to our calls for dialogue and cooperation.
2. Parliament, local governments and civilian groups to commemorate
the 21st anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration
Former President Kim Dae-jung’s private residence in Goyang,
Gyeonggi Province will turn into a memorial, and an opening ceremony
will be held at 10:30 A.M. today. Minister Lee will attend the event
to deliver congratulatory remarks, where he will honor President Kim’s
will toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.
On June 15, the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation
and the National Assembly’s forum on the peaceful future of Northeast
Asia will co-host a unification policy forum at 2 P.M. Lawmakers and
experts will discuss issues including peace and unification in the
eyes of the younger generation and the current status of peace on the
Korean Peninsula. Minister Lee will deliver congratulatory remarks at
the opening ceremony.
This will be followed by a policy debate on inter-Korean tourism
cooperation arranged by lawmaker Lee Yong-sun and the Association for
Inter-Korea Peace Tourism at 3 P.M. Participants will evaluate the
status of peace tourism, such as individual visits and border area
tours, and seek future development directions. Minister Lee will
deliver congratulatory remarks at the event.
In line with these events, the Unification Ministry will officially
launch its ‘2021 DMZ Peace Trail Walking for Unification’ project on
June 15, in commemoration of the 21st anniversary of the June 15 Joint
Declaration. Kick-starting with an opening ceremony tomorrow at 11:30
A.M., around 70 participants will set off on their 13-day course
journey from Goseong County. Ensuring the participants’ safety and
adhering to Covid-19 quarantine measures will be of priority in
proceeding with the project.
3. Other schedules
The Unification Ministry’s National Institute for Unification
Education is holding its Emerging Leaders Fellowship (ELF) program
from June 14 to 16. Minister Lee delivered congratulatory remarks at
the opening ceremony today at 9:15 A.M. Meanwhile, special lectures
and key contents of the academic conference will be released through
the Ministry’s English website.
4. Q&A (Partial)
Q. North Korea announced that it will hold a party plenary meeting
in early June, but we are yet to hear about it. How is the Ministry
understanding or evaluating the current situation?
A. North Korea said on June 4 that it would convene a plenary
meeting of the Central Committee of the Worker’s Party in early June.
However, there have been no reports of the meeting as of today.
Meanwhile, North Korean media reported that the party held an
enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission on June 11. The
North has a record of holding Central Military Commissions before or
after the party’s plenary meeting, allowing us to assume that the
meeting held last week was part of preparations for the plenary
meeting of the party’s Central Committee.
As the North announced that it will hold the meeting in early June,
the Government will continue to keep an eye on the situation.
Q. The G7 joint statement includes issues related to North Korea.
Does the Unification Ministry have a position on this?
A. The joint communique adopted by the G7 nations calls for the
complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, welcomes U.S.
policy toward North Korea centered on diplomatic engagement, and urges
the North to resume dialogue. This is very close to the position the
Government has reiterated whenever the opportunity arouse. We see it
as a positive development.
The Government urges the North to respond to our repeated calls for
dialogue and cooperation, noting that the international community is
showing common support for pursuing dialogue in achieving
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Q. June 16 marks one year since North Korea demolished the Joint
Liaison Office. Is there anything going on in relation to this, any
measures being taken?
A. This Wednesday, June 16, marks one year since the North
demolished the South-North Joint Liaison Office in Gaeseong.
Inter-Korean liaison channels are the most basic means of
communication between the two Koreas, and the two sides have agreed to
maintain these contacts through numerous agreements including the
Panmunjom Declaration of 2018. The Government, under the position that
inter-Korean communication channels must be maintained without
interruption at all times, expressed strong regret over the demolition
of the Joint Liaison Office and has since made utmost efforts to
restore contact.
Inter-Korean communication channels should be resorted immediately
without any conditions. If the liaison channel is restored, the two
Koreas will be able to draw up a wise solution to various issues,
including those following the demolition of the liaison office, in the
direction of further improving the existing communication lines.
As noted on a number of occasions, we urge the North to restore
inter-Korean communication channels as soon as possible.
