On May 3, the Ministry of Unification and the Unification Future
Planning Committee held a round-table conference with Minister Kwon
Youngse to discuss the draft New Future Initiative on Unification
(tentative) prepared by the committee.
The conference was attended by about twenty participants, including
head of the committee Kim Young-ho, heads of the five subcommittees,
head of the special committee Nam Sung-wook and its members, and heads
of the major departments of the Unification Ministry.
권영세 장관은 인사말씀을 통해 ｢신통일미래구상｣이 급변하는 국제정세와 북한의 핵 고도화 상황에서 “위기를 기회로 만드는”
구상, 20~30년 지속가능한 “오랜 생명력을 가지는” 구상, “국민과 세계가 힘을 모아주는” 구상이 되어야 한다고
강조했습니다.
Minister Kwon highlighted in his opening remarks that the
“New Future Initiative on Unification” should be an initiative that
“turns crisis into opportunity” amidst the rapidly changing
international situation and the North’s escalating nuclear situation,
an initiative that is sustainable and “lives on” for twenty to thirty
years, and an initiative that unifies the people and the world.
또한, 통일 한반도의 비전을 실현하기 위한 3대 과제로 통일을 지향하는 올바른 남북관계 정립, 북한의 긍정적 변화 촉진,
체계적인 통일미래 준비를 제시했습니다.
Moreover, the minister presented three key
tasks for realizing a unified Korean Peninsula: establishing proper
inter-Korean relations that aim for unification, promoting positive
changes in North Korea, and systematically preparing for a future of unification.
During the meeting, it was decided to include the vision of “a
better future for all members of the Korean Peninsula” and “a unified
Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace” in the New Future
Initiative on Unification as stated in the joint statement issued by
the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. Considering constitutional and
universal values, the focus to achieve this vision will be on
implementing values such as freedom, human rights, peace, prosperity,
and openness.
As policy directions, the establishment of a unification-oriented
coexistence relationship, denuclearization and sustainable peace, the
realization of universal values such as human rights, the
establishment of a cooperative structure for mutual prosperity, a
Korean Peninsula that is open and communicative, and a leading role in
peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia will be considered. While
further developing the policy directions, pilot projects in each area
will be explored as well.
The Ministry of Unification plans to gather extensive views from the
public through youth dialogues, expert discussions, field seminars,
and contest exhibits on a unified future, based on the draft of the
New Future Initiative on Unification prepared by the Unification
Future Planning Committee.
Furthermore, the government will review and refine the agenda by
collecting opinions from international experts on the Korean Peninsula
and the international community and announce it at an appropriate time
this year.
