Ministry of Unification: "We Will Add More Weight to Messages to North Korea Once COVID-19 Subsides"

Lee In-young "Always Ready to Talk with North Korea"

On the 23rd, at the comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Unification and others held by the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the National Assembly, Minister of Unification Lee In-young is responding to questions from lawmakers.

The Ministry of Unification stated on the 19th that once the COVID-19 situation eases, it will deliver a weighty message to North Korea.

At a press briefing that day, a Ministry of Unification official responded to a question asking, "Minister of Unification Lee In-young has continuously sent messages to North Korea since his inauguration, so what difference does the statement 'once COVID-19 eases, we will formally propose dialogue to North Korea' have compared to previous messages?" The official said, "It is not so much a matter of method, but rather an intention to give more weight to the messages being sent to North Korea."

The official explained, "(Minister Lee) has been sending messages to North Korea on various occasions, and if it is called an 'official proposal,' it means making a proposal with proper authority or formality."

Earlier, on the 18th, Minister Lee appeared on KBS News 9 and said, "Once the COVID-19 situation calms down a bit more, I am considering formally proposing dialogue to North Korea." He emphasized, "Any place, any time is fine; if the North responds, we are ready for the best possible dialogue."

When asked what level of "COVID-19 easing" this refers to, the Ministry of Unification official said, "Objectively, it is not about having 'fewer than a certain number of confirmed cases,'" but added, "In consultation with health authorities, it would be a point where it can reasonably be considered that the situation has eased."

He added, "North Korea is maintaining border closures to control COVID-19, and such a situation cannot be considered as eased," and said, "We will monitor the situation’s progress and consult with relevant authorities to determine the timing of easing."

Regarding reports that the Ministry of Unification is promoting a plan to establish the 'National Peace and Unification Library' and relocate and expand the North Korea Data Center currently housed in the National Library of Korea, the official was cautious, saying, "We have not entered a concrete stage yet."

The Ministry of Unification official explained, "Discussions are currently underway in the National Assembly to secure the budget. If the budget passes, the next steps will proceed, but we are not at a concrete stage such as scouting land, as reported in the media."

The North Korea Data Center first opened in May 1989 by leasing the 6th floor of Gwanghwamun Post Office. It moved to the 5th and 7th floors of the current National Library of Korea in Banpo-dong in 2009. However, for several years, the National Library of Korea has requested the center to relocate due to lack of space.

Thirty years after its opening, the North Korea Data Center’s collection has grown to about 112,500 items, but the space has decreased compared to the nearly 400-pyeong (approx. 1,322 square meters) space at Gwanghwamun Post Office. Due to insufficient space to store North Korean materials according to regulations, the Ministry of Unification has begun discarding old materials.

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