Northern Tourism, Railway Connection, and Quarantine Cooperation... Drive for Inter-Korean Relations Announced

Ruling Party's Overwhelming Victory Boosts Proactive North Korea Policy
"Considering Dialogue Initiatives Such as Inter-Korean Parliamentary Talks"

President Moon Jae-in is seen embracing Chairman Kim Jong-un, who is returning to the North, after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump (right) at Panmunjom on the afternoon of June 30 last year.

The Democratic Party of Korea and its proportional representation party, the Together Citizens' Party, achieved a landslide victory by securing 180 seats, which is three-fifths of the National Assembly seats, accelerating the government's independent pursuit of inter-Korean relations. Key agendas include infectious disease prevention cooperation, inter-Korean railway connections, and individual tourism.

In the 21st general election held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, public sentiment strongly supported the ruling party. According to the Central Election Commission on the 16th, the Democratic Party of Korea and the proportional representation party Together Citizens' Party secured a total of 180 seats on their own. The United Future Party and the Future Korea Party secured only 103 seats, three seats more than the constitutional amendment blocking line of 100 seats.

The emergence of a giant 'dinosaur party' exceeding three-fifths of the total seats as a single party is unprecedented since democratization in 1987. The ruling party can now exercise most legislative powers except for constitutional amendments. Having confirmed active public support, it can also demonstrate greater flexibility in North Korea policy.

Professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies evaluated, "With the ruling party's landslide victory, positive conditions have been created to continuously promote the Moon Jae-in administration's Korean Peninsula peace process."

The key issue is North Korea's change in strategy toward the South and its response. So far, North Korea has criticized South Korea for "not engaging in ethnic cooperation while watching the United States." It has consistently belittled the Moon Jae-in government's will to improve inter-Korean relations while treating South Korea coldly.

Professor Lim Eul-chul of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at Gyeongnam National University said, "One reason North Korea was not proactive in improving inter-Korean relations was that it judged the Moon Jae-in government's domestic political breakthrough power regarding North Korea policy to be insufficient," adding, "However, (since the ruling party won a landslide victory in this general election) North Korea is likely to take a different approach than before the election."

He analyzed, "North Korea will likely observe a bit more before taking action, but the change in the domestic political landscape will move Kim Jong-un's policy toward the South in a direction of reconsideration." He explained, "Moreover, the U.S. presidential election results are becoming increasingly uncertain, and with the COVID-19 variable, President Trump's re-election is also uncertain, so more weight may be placed on resetting relations with the South."

Professor Lim added, "If the government actively moves in cooperation with the National Assembly to expand autonomy in inter-Korean relations, North Korea is more likely to respond to our proposals."

There is an assessment that South Korea needs to pursue a more proactive North Korea policy. Professor Yang said, "We need a more proactive North Korea policy," adding, "We should prepare an independent North Korea policy package including quarantine cooperation, aid to North Korea, railway and road connections, and individual tourism, but forming a national consensus is essential."

Professor Lim said, "Inter-Korean relations still have limitations as international sanctions remain the biggest obstacle," but added, "We can start inter-Korean exchanges within limited frameworks such as joint quarantine and healthcare humanitarian cooperation and tourism, and also pay attention to measures preparing for the post-U.S. presidential election."

President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong-un met at Okryugwan in Pyongyang on September 19, 2018

Experts also urged a change in North Korea's attitude simultaneously. Professor Yang emphasized, "North Korea needs to read the situation well (after the general election)," adding, "Instead of a detached response that delays or postpones, a shift from 'Bongnam' to 'Tongnam' is necessary."

Professor Jung Dae-jin of Ajou University's Institute for Unification Studies proposed exchanges at the National Assembly level in addition to dialogue between the South and North Korean leaders.

Professor Jung said, "Since North Korea amended its constitution last year and this time Kim Jong-un neither ran as a delegate to the Supreme People's Assembly nor attended it, the formal separation between the Supreme People's Assembly and the State Affairs Commission is becoming visible," adding, "If it is burdensome for Kim Jong-un to directly engage, North Korea should respond to the advancement of inter-Korean dialogue from the periphery, such as through inter-Korean parliamentary talks as a courtesy meeting following the formation of our new 21st National Assembly."

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