Joint Use of the Han River Estuary Resumes... Kim Yeon-cheol Visits the Site

Ministry of Unification: "We Will Create Peace in Border Areas"

In November 2018, the inter-Korean joint survey team investigated the Han River estuary.

Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-cheol will visit the Han River Estuary site to revive the spark of the inter-Korean joint use project. To reinvigorate the momentum of the long-stalled Korean Peninsula peace process, the government has begun to launch a series of inter-Korean cooperation projects.

The Ministry of Unification stated, "Minister Kim will visit the Han River Estuary area in Gimpo City (Jeollyuri Port, Aegibong, Yudo, etc.) on the 27th," adding, "This visit aims to directly verify the implementation sites of inter-Korean agreements such as the joint use of the Han River Estuary and to listen to the opinions of local governments and related agencies."

The Han River Estuary is an area where free navigation of civilian vessels from both South and North Korea is guaranteed under the Armistice Agreement. However, due to the military standoff between the two Koreas since the Korean War, normal use and development have been impossible for over 70 years.

Following the 'September 19 Military Agreement' in 2018, for the first time since the division, the two Koreas conducted a basic waterway survey for the joint use of the Han River Estuary and shared the survey results and nautical charts in January 2019.

However, as inter-Korean relations stagnated afterward, the joint use project of the Han River Estuary failed to make further progress.

Unlike the land division along the Military Demarcation Line under the Armistice Agreement, the Han River Estuary is a kind of neutral water area where civilian vessels from both South and North Korea are allowed to navigate freely.

Historically, it is the confluence of the Han River, Imjin River, and Yesong River, where before the division, the South and North formed a single living area with active exchanges and interactions.

It is also a biologically diverse area characterized by a brackish water zone where freshwater and seawater meet.

The government plans to continue efforts to consolidate peace in the border area by respecting existing agreements while considering the ecological, historical, and economic value of the Han River Estuary.

The Ministry of Unification stated, "While promoting projects that can be carried out under the current inter-Korean relations, we also plan to explore ways to develop the area into a mutually beneficial cooperation space for residents of both Koreas by gathering opinions from local governments and related agencies."

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, 2019.

Meanwhile, the government is expanding its efforts to create an independent space for inter-Korean relations. On the 26th, Seo Ho, Vice Minister of Unification, visited Daeseong-dong Village near Panmunjom with the Cultural Heritage Administration’s DMZ UNESCO World Heritage registration inspection team.

On the same day, the Ministry of Unification announced that it will push forward the amendment of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act as a government bill. This is interpreted as a measure to prepare the system for revitalizing inter-Korean relations by simplifying contact with North Korean residents.

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