Unification Minister Kim Yeon-cheol "I Will Take Responsibility for the Deterioration of Inter-Korean Relations" Resigns (Comprehensive)

Dishonorable Resignation After 1 Year and 2 Months in Office
Failure to Find a Turning Point Amid North Korea-US Dialogue Deadlock and COVID-19
"Sorry for Failing to Meet the People's Expectations for Peace and Prosperity on the Korean Peninsula"

Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-cheol is making a serious expression while attending the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary meeting and reporting on duties on the 16th. During Minister Kim Yeon-cheol's report at the National Assembly, loud explosions and smoke were observed in the Kaesong Industrial Complex area. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Unification Minister Kim Yeon-cheol expressed his intention to resign on the 17th, taking responsibility for the deterioration of inter-Korean relations. This comes amid the worst-ever situation in inter-Korean relations, with North Korea blowing up the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office and announcing plans to deploy troops in the Demilitarized Zone.

Minister Kim said at the Government Seoul Office that day, "I have decided to step down, taking responsibility for the worsening inter-Korean relations."

He added, "I feel sorry for not meeting the demands and expectations of many citizens who wish for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula."

Minister Kim said, "I thought someone had to take responsibility for the deterioration of inter-Korean relations, and I was mentally prepared for that."

He continued, "In the current situation, I thought it might be my duty to create an opportunity to renew the atmosphere."

Regarding the timing of his decision to resign, he said, "There was a point when I could foresee the current situation regarding the worsening inter-Korean relations, and I thought someone had to take responsibility for those aspects."

On the current tense state of inter-Korean relations, Minister Kim said, "If you read the commemorative speech for the 20th anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration, you can generally confirm my position on the current situation, albeit abstractly."

At the '20th Anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration Democratic Party Commemorative Event' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 15th, Minister Kim emphasized, "There have been numerous difficulties and challenges in the history of inter-Korean relations, and there will be many tasks to solve and hurdles to overcome in the future. The spirit of June 15 is not about subservience but autonomy, not confrontation but peace, not division but unification."

He added that he had submitted his resignation to the Blue House that morning.

Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-chul is attending the full meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the National Assembly on the 16th. During Minister Kim Yeon-chul's briefing at the National Assembly, loud explosions and smoke were observed in the Kaesong Industrial Complex area. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Minister Kim, who took office on April 8 last year, will step down after serving 1 year and 2 months. When he was nominated as minister, the opposition party considered him the 'top candidate for rejection,' but after various twists and turns, he was appointed as a cabinet member.

President Moon Jae-in nominated Minister Kim in February last year, at a time when the Hanoi North Korea-U.S. summit ended with 'no deal,' and the Korean Peninsula peace process was losing momentum.

As a scholar, Minister Kim raised expectations that he would open a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations with his clear convictions and outspoken remarks.

Moon Chung-in, the President’s Special Advisor for Unification, Diplomacy, and Security Affairs, evaluated Minister Kim’s nomination at the time by saying, "Minister Kim’s appointment means pushing forward the Korean Peninsula situation regardless of the United States."

However, North Korea-U.S. talks continued to run aground without finding common ground. North Korea began harsh criticism of South Korea, and only bad news followed, including the withdrawal from the Kaesong Inter-Korean Liaison Office and the unilateral demolition of the Mount Kumgang tourism zone. External factors such as African Swine Fever (ASF) and the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) also overlapped, making it difficult to find an exit for inter-Korean projects.

Minister Kim expressed regret during the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee briefing at the National Assembly on the 16th, saying, "If it were not for COVID-19, individual tourism to North Korea would already have been underway."

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