"Let's Liberalize Tourism to North Korea"... Voices for a South Korean Version of 'Direct Breakthrough'

UN PeaceCo 'Buk Saeroun-gil' Policy Forum
"Government Must Declare Resumption of Geumgangsan and Kaesong Industrial Complex"
"If Trucks Can't Go to North Korea, We Must Carry the Load Ourselves"
"North Korea Tourism Possible Through Chinese Travel Agencies"

President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong-un are showing the Pyongyang Joint Declaration after signing it following their summit at the Baekhwawon Guesthouse on September 19 last year.

As North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un declared the 'frontline breakthrough' policy in 2020 and tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated, voices have been growing for the South Korean government to pursue a 'South Korean version of the New Path'?an independent approach to inter-Korean relations. Until now, the government has aligned inter-Korean relations with progress in North Korea?U.S. relations, but as North Korea?U.S. talks have stalled, the peace process on the Korean Peninsula has struggled to move forward. Experts advise that the government should establish autonomous inter-Korean relations separate from North Korea?U.S. relations through bold inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects, thereby managing the crisis on the peninsula.

Kim Young-yoon, Chair of the Inter-Korean Logistics Forum, said at the 'New Path Analysis and Countermeasures New Year Forum' hosted by UN Peace Co on the 8th, "The government must make a decisive move to pursue projects that can be carried out even under sanctions against North Korea," adding, "It should courageously declare the resumption of tourism to Mount Kumgang and the Kaesong Industrial Complex."

He also proposed liberalizing tourism to North Korea. Kim said, "We should declare the liberalization of North Korean tourism so that our citizens can visit North Korea as freely as they do third countries."

Additionally, he mentioned, "Projects such as developing the Han River estuary, connecting the Gangneung?Jejin railway, establishing inter-Korean economic special zones in border areas (such as Paju), and promoting regular railway and road connections can be pursued."

On the 8th, panelists are discussing at the 'New Year's Forum on Analysis and Measures for North Korea's New Path' hosted by UN Peace Corps.

Professor Lee Hee-ok of Sungkyunkwan University stated, "Inter-Korean relations suffer from a poverty of imagination," urging the government to embrace 'imagination.'

He said, "South Koreans must obtain a personal safety guarantee letter to travel to North Korea, whereas Chinese citizens can travel there without such a letter," adding, "Through Chinese travel agencies, South Koreans can also undertake individual tours."

Professor Lee noted, "One of North Korea's grievances toward South Korea is that South Korea has no 'new path.'" He explained that South Korea is repeating past strategies toward North Korea and remains confined within the framework of South Korea?U.S. cooperation.

He also criticized the government's 'will.' He cited the example of last year's African Swine Fever (ASF) prevention cooperation between the two Koreas, where the government obtained a UN sanctions exemption but failed to deliver supplies to the North. He said, "To deliver quarantine supplies, trucks are needed, but since trucks cannot move into North Korea, the supplies were not delivered," emphasizing, "If trucks cannot go to North Korea, people should have carried the goods themselves to North Korea."

Park Jong-chul, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, proposed restoring inter-Korean dialogue channels and promoting sports exchange cooperation.

He said, "Whenever North Korea?U.S. negotiations hit a deadlock in 2018, inter-Korean talks opened breakthroughs. The government should activate various dialogue channels, including dispatching special envoys to North Korea."

Park also suggested utilizing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as an opportunity for inter-Korean dialogue. He said, "Promoting inter-Korean sports exchanges can also be used as an opportunity to restore dialogue."

There are also calls for detours beyond the South Korea?U.S. and South Korea?U.S.?Japan cooperation frameworks, such as South Korea?North Korea?China and South Korea?North Korea?Russia. Park said, "There needs to be an international consensus on the necessity of stabilizing the situation on the Korean Peninsula to hold the Tokyo Olympics," adding, "Peace management on the Korean Peninsula requires cooperation not only among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan but also with China and Russia."

Professor Lee emphasized, "To prevent North Korea from deviating from the denuclearization track, a joint mediator role by South Korea, China, and Russia is necessary," and stressed, "We must expand and solidify the convening power through formats like South Korea?North Korea?China and South Korea?North Korea?Russia cooperation."

President Moon Jae-in is delivering the New Year's address at the Blue House on the 7th.

Meanwhile, President Moon Jae-in expressed in his New Year's address on the 7th his intention to actively expand cooperative spaces between the two Koreas, proposing Chairman Kim Jong-un's reciprocal visit and joint registration of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This reflects a will to establish independent inter-Korean relations and actively seek cooperative spaces.

Lee Sang-min, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, said on the 8th, "We plan to continue pursuing parts that South Korea can independently advance and prepare concrete plans for areas that require joint efforts with the North." The government intends to urge North Korea's positive response through inter-Korean communication channels as related project plans are established.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.