Unification minister says ending rupture in inter-Korean ties is gov't responsibility

Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young has said inter-Korean relations have reached a complete cutoff in recent years, emphasizing that ending the rupture as soon as possible is a responsibility of the Lee Jae Myung administration.

Chung made the remarks in a speech delivered online during the World Korea Forum held Wednesday at the University of Nairobi in the Kenyan capital.

"Over the past six years, inter-Korean relations have been cut off, with private-level contacts dropping to 'zero,'" Chung said. "Ending this complete cutoff in ties as soon as possible is a responsibility of the new government."

The minister emphasized that South and North Korea cannot be two separate countries, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's declaration in 2023 that the two Koreas are "two countries hostile to each other."

"As nothing remains unchanged in the world, North Korea's current two-state policy antagonizing the South will eventually change."

Chung also emphasized the importance of "consistency" in North Korea policy, noting that inter-Korean relations have swung dramatically between highs and lows depending on changes in the South Korean government.

Yonhap