The North Korea nuclear issue extends beyond the Korean Peninsula and
is directly related to European security, and strengthening solidarity
between South Korea and Europe is necessary.
Minister Kim Yung Ho visits the UK and Germany (September 28-October 4)
Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho visited the United Kingdom and
Germany on the occasion of the 33rd German Unity Day and the Korea
Global Forum (KGF) 2023 European Seminar (September 28 to October 4, 2023).
On September 29, Minister Kim met with experts on Korean Peninsula
issues from the European region on the sidelines of the KGF held at
the University of Cambridge in the UK and discussed ways to cooperate
with Europe on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, improving
human rights in North Korea, and unification of the Korean Peninsula.
The experts shared the perception that the North Korean nuclear
issue extends beyond the Korean Peninsula and is directly related to
the security of Europe, stressing the importance of Europe’s role in
inducing a change in the North’s behavior towards nuclear and human
rights issues and strengthening cooperation between South Korea and Europe.
Furthermore, during a meeting with over 30 European Council members
of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, the minister explained
the direction of the Yoon administration’s unification and North
Korean policies and reemphasized their role in building solidarity
with the international community for the realization of the vision of
“a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace.”
On September 30, Minister Kim met with North Korean defectors living
in the United Kingdom to hear their concerns and reasons for settling
in the UK. He highly praised their successful settlement in the UK and
stressed unity, communication, and cooperation between North Korean
defectors and the Korean community in the UK.
The minister also met with representatives of North Korean human
rights NGOs to have an in-depth discussion on ways to build
international cooperation for improving human rights in North Korea,
including the importance of documenting and preserving cases of human
rights violations in the North and cooperation between the government,
NGOs, and experts.
On October 1, Minister Kim visited the Korean War Memorial in London
to lay a wreath and expressed gratitude for the sacrifices made by
British veterans during the war.
The minister’s visit to the UK served as an opportunity to raise
awareness of the importance of close cooperation between Korea and
Europe on the North Korean nuclear issue and international solidarity
to address human rights issues in the North.