Ministry of Unification Begins Establishing 'Inter-Korean Non-Face-to-Face Dialogue Conference Room' with 400 Million Won Funding

President Moon's Proposal for 'Non-Face-to-Face Inter-Korean Dialogue' Followed by Urgent Bidding Announcement
Estimated Cost Approximately 400 Million KRW... Construction Expected to Complete by April

President Moon Jae-in is delivering a New Year's address at the Blue House on the 11th.

The Ministry of Unification has decided to invest approximately 400 million KRW to establish a video conference room for non-face-to-face talks with North Korea by April. President Moon Jae-in proposed non-face-to-face dialogue with North Korea in his New Year's address on the 11th.

According to the Public Procurement Service's Nara Market on the 12th, the Ministry of Unification announced an urgent bid for the project to build a video conference room for inter-Korean talks.

The video conference room is scheduled to be installed in the large conference room of the Inter-Korean Talks Headquarters in Jongno-gu, with the construction period set within 60 days from the contract date. Considering that the bid opening is scheduled for the 2nd of next month, the construction will be completed by April. The estimated cost is 398 million KRW.

This urgent bid was made the day after President Moon proposed 'non-face-to-face dialogue' to North Korea in his New Year's address.

In his New Year's address released at the Blue House, President Moon said, "Our will to meet anytime, anywhere, and to hold talks through non-face-to-face methods remains unchanged," urging North Korea to respond to dialogue with a progressive attitude once again.

Earlier, the Ministry of Unification judged that the need for non-face-to-face meetings with North Korea increased due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and has been planning this project since the second half of last year, including reflecting it in this year's budget.

For inter-Korean talks to actually take place through the video conference room, an agreement with North Korea is necessary, but technically, it is reported that there are no difficulties in ensuring compatibility when using a direct telephone line between the two Koreas.

An official from the Ministry of Unification said regarding President Moon's proposal for 'non-face-to-face dialogue' that "If North Korea responds positively, dialogue between the two Koreas is possible anytime and in any form, and our government is prepared."

The supreme leader Kim Jong-un was appointed as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party.
On the 11th, the Korean Central News Agency reported on the sixth day of the 8th Party Congress held the previous day, stating, "The 8th Party Congress has decided to highly appoint Comrade Kim Jong-un as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea."

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