President Moon: "Promise of 'Peace' with Kim Jong-un Cannot Be Reversed... South and North Must Find a Breakthrough" (Update)

President Moon Jae-in is presiding over a senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House on the 15th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] President Moon Jae-in said on the 15th, "I cannot turn back on the promise of peace on the Korean Peninsula that Kim Jong-un (Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea) and I made before 80 million compatriots," adding, "It is a firm principle that must not be shaken by any changes in the situation." He also emphasized the need for proactive 'action,' saying, "It is time for the South and the North to find a breakthrough together," and "We have reached a time when we can no longer just wait for conditions to improve."

On the same day, President Moon presided over a senior secretaries and advisors meeting at the Blue House and said in his opening remarks, "The April 27 Panmunjom Declaration and the September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration are solemn promises that both the South and the North must faithfully implement," emphasizing, "It is a firm principle that must not be shaken by any changes in the situation." This was the first time President Moon directly voiced his position after Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the North Korean Workers' Party, recently hinted at hostile acts toward the South with strong criticism.

President Moon began by saying, "We face the 20th anniversary of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration with a heavy heart," and added, "The more obstacles arise in inter-Korean relations and the more serious the situation becomes, the more we need to reflect on the spirit and achievements of the June 15 Declaration." He continued, "The direction that the South and the North must take together is clear," saying, "Like a river that flows windingly but ultimately heads to the sea, the South and the North must move forward step by step on the path of national reconciliation, peace, and unification with optimistic faith, even if slowly." He stressed, "We must not let the current inter-Korean relations, which have overcome long-standing severance and the crisis of war with great difficulty, come to a halt again."

Jeong Eui-yong, Director of the National Security Office (second from the right), and Kim Hyun-jong, Deputy Director (right), are listening to President Moon Jae-in's remarks at the senior secretaries and aides meeting held at the Blue House on the 15th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

With North Korea cutting off all inter-Korean communication lines on the 9th, President Moon said, "Our government will continuously strive to implement the agreements. We will protect and nurture the achievements made with great difficulty," while warning, "North Korea must not sever communication, create tension, and try to revert to the era of past confrontation." He repeatedly appealed, "I hope that the uncomfortable and difficult issues faced by the South and the North will be resolved through communication and cooperation."

President Moon expressed his feelings, saying, "I am well aware of Chairman Kim's determination and efforts to bring about a breakthrough in the situation on the Korean Peninsula," and added, "I also deeply regret that progress in North Korea-U.S. relations and inter-Korean relations has not been made as much as expected."

He then said, "As the masters of the fate of the Korean Peninsula, I hope the South and the North actively find and implement projects that they can decide and promote on their own," and added, "We will also steadily work to gain the consent of the international community. I hope North Korea will open the door to dialogue and join us in pooling wisdom."

President Moon referred to the July 4, 1972 South-North Joint Communiqu? during the Park Chung-hee administration and the 1992 South-North Basic Agreement during the Roh Tae-woo administration, saying, "These agreements are joint assets of the South and the North that must be respected and upheld regardless of changes in administrations and leaders," and added, "The key to resolving the Korean Peninsula issue and inter-Korean issues must also be found here."

Meanwhile, President Moon also addressed the National Assembly, saying, "If such agreements had been ratified by the National Assembly and maintained continuity without fluctuation depending on the administration, inter-Korean relations would have developed much more than now," and urged, "I expect the 21st National Assembly to cooperate across party lines for the development of inter-Korean relations and peace, and furthermore, for the realization of a 'peace economy.'" He continued, "The government will do its best to sustain the dialogue phase, but inter-Korean relations can enter turbulent waters we do not want at any time," and requested, "In these serious times, I ask the National Assembly and the people to unite and support the government."

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