Ministry of Unification: "North Korean Vessel Passing Through Jeju Route Possible with Inter-Korean Agreement"

Im Jong-seok Urges "Ministry of Unification to Leave the Korea-US Working Group"
Ministry of Unification: "Individual Opinion... Will Not Comment"

President Moon Jae-in (left) and North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un are shaking hands at Panmunjom on June 30, 2019.

As the 5·24 measures approach their 10th anniversary on the 24th of this month, the government announced on the 22nd that if North and South Korea reach an agreement, North Korean vessels could once again pass through South Korean waters. The 5·24 measures are unilateral sanctions against North Korea implemented by the Lee Myung-bak administration in May 2010, immediately following the sinking of the Cheonan warship. The government has stated that the 5·24 measures have largely lost their effectiveness and that cooperation between the two Koreas is fully possible.

At a regular briefing held at the Government Seoul Office on the same day, Yeoh Sang-gi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, said, "Regarding the issue of North Korean vessels passing through the Jeju route, an agreement on maritime communication between the two Koreas is necessary," adding, "If an agreement on maritime communication procedures is reached, mutual passage of vessels in each other's zones will become possible."

In August 2005, the South and North Korea established the Inter-Korean Maritime Route (a route within the Korean nation) following the enforcement of the Inter-Korean Shipping Agreement and its annexes. This allowed vessels from both Koreas to travel along maritime routes, including the Jeju Strait, after obtaining permission from the maritime authorities of the other side. By using designated internal routes instead of detouring through international waters, the two Koreas were able to reduce expenses.

However, the 5·24 measures led to the closure of these maritime routes, preventing North Korean vessels from passing through the Jeju Strait.

The 5·24 measures include ▲ prohibition of passage through South Korean maritime routes such as the Jeju Strait ▲ complete suspension of inter-Korean trade ▲ prohibition of new investments in North Korea ▲ reduction of personnel staying in the Kaesong Industrial Complex ▲ suspension of aid projects to North Korea ▲ and a complete ban on visits to North Korea.

Spokesperson Yeoh emphasized that this explanation does not mean the de facto lifting of the 5·24 measures. He said, "The government has never stated that the 5·24 measures have been de facto lifted," adding, "Through flexibilization and exceptions, their effectiveness has largely been lost." He further noted, "There are currently no additional follow-up plans related to this."

Earlier, on the 20th, the Ministry of Unification expressed its intention to promote inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, stating that "the 5·24 measures have largely lost their effectiveness."

Spokesperson Yeoh said, "The 5·24 measures have undergone flexibilization and exceptions through successive governments," and "The government views the 5·24 measures as no longer an obstacle to promoting inter-Korean exchange and cooperation."

However, as the government explained, the 5·24 measures have been softened since the Lee Myung-bak administration and are now effectively obsolete.

In September 2011, the year following the implementation of the measures, a 'flexibilization measure' was announced in connection with the visit of representatives from seven religious denominations to North Korea. This included ▲ allowing visits to inspect investment assets ▲ permitting the import of prepaid remaining materials and pre-contracted processing goods ▲ expanding support items such as flour and medicines ▲ and selectively allowing non-political, religious, and cultural visits.

Subsequently, under the Park Geun-hye administration, the Nakhodka-Hasan logistics cooperation project involving South Korea, North Korea, and Russia proceeded in November 2013. In February 2018, exceptions to the 5·24 measures continued, such as the North Korean art troupe participating in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics arriving in South Korea aboard the Man Gyong Bong ship.

Yeosang-gi, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Unification did not make any particular statement regarding former Blue House Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok's claim that "the Ministry of Unification should be excluded from the South Korea-U.S. Working Group meetings coordinating on the Korean Peninsula issue." Spokesperson Yeoh said, "We will not evaluate individual claims," but added, "The South Korea-U.S. Working Group functions to coordinate related matters and opinions between South Korea and the U.S. at the working level."

In a dialogue published in the summer 2020 issue of 'Changjakgwa Bipyeong' on the 22nd, former Chief Im stated that the Ministry of Unification's participation in the South Korea-U.S. Working Group meetings, which coordinate denuclearization, inter-Korean relations, and sanctions issues, is "poisonous as the main department for inter-Korean cooperation" and insisted that "the Ministry of Unification should be excluded." He argued, "What can the Ministry of Unification do if it is part of a working group that often makes excessive interpretations of sanctions resolutions?"

Regarding the fact that North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has not appeared in public for 21 consecutive days, the Ministry of Unification remained reserved. Spokesperson Yeoh said, "We are monitoring the situation where Kim Jong-un's activities have not been disclosed in North Korean media," adding, "It is not appropriate to publicly comment on where Kim Jong-un is staying. Relevant authorities are closely watching the situation."

On the intermittent claims that the government should prepare for a sudden change in North Korea due to rumors about Kim Jong-un's health, Yeoh said, "The government does not respond to every rumor." He added, "While it is good to prepare for sudden changes in North Korea, the government will neither react to nor comment on such claims."

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