Ministry of Unification Warns Busan Port Authority for Failing to Report Contact with North Korea

Coal loading operations underway at Rason Port, North Korea

The Ministry of Unification announced on the 20th that it issued a written warning to Busan Port Authority, under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, for violating the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act during the process of promoting the development project of North Korea's Rajin Port.

Cho Hye-sil, deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification, said at a regular briefing on the same day, "Regarding the promotion of the Rajin Port development, we confirmed the facts related to Busan Port Authority's failure to report contact with North Korean residents, which is a violation of the Exchange and Cooperation Act," adding, "After comprehensively considering various situations, a written warning was issued."

The Ministry of Unification judged that Busan Port Authority violated the contact regulations of the Exchange and Cooperation Act by communicating with the North Korean side through an agent without reporting it.

The Exchange and Cooperation Act stipulates that South Korean residents must report to the Minister of Unification when contacting North Korean residents.

However, considering that the communication was indirect through Chinese personnel rather than direct contact with North Korean residents, and that there was consultation with the Ministry of Unification during the project planning stage, the penalty was at a lower level than a fine.

Meanwhile, Busan Port Authority is known to have been promoting the project by promising cooperation on the development of Rajin Port with the Chinese company Hunchun Geumseong Shipping and Logistics Co., Ltd. (Hunchun Geumseong). Hunchun Geumseong secured a 49-year leasehold on North Korea's Rajin Port in October 2018.

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