Ministry of Unification: "Expect Restoration and Stable Operation of Communication Line... Will Prepare for Restoration"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The Ministry of Unification stated that it "expects the restoration and stable operation of the inter-Korean communication liaison line" following Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, announcing that the inter-Korean communication liaison line will be restored from early next month.

On the 30th, a Ministry of Unification official responded to reporters' questions, saying, "The Ministry of Unification has consistently maintained the position that the inter-Korean communication liaison line must be restored promptly in order to quickly resume intergovernmental dialogue and to discuss and resolve various issues amid a stabilized situation on the Korean Peninsula."

The official added, "We will prepare in response to General Secretary Kim's expression of intent to restore the inter-Korean communication liaison line from early next month during his policy speech at the Supreme People's Assembly," and stated, "Since the mention of the communication liaison line is a public statement by General Secretary Kim, the restoration and stable operation of the inter-Korean communication liaison line is expected."

According to the Ministry of Unification, this is the second time since 2019 that General Secretary Kim has delivered a speech at the Supreme People's Assembly; two years ago, the Supreme People's Assembly was also held over two days, with a policy speech on the second day.

The Ministry of Unification official explained, "General Secretary Kim's policy speech is structured to reveal policy directions on both domestic and international fronts, maintaining the overall tone set at the 8th Party Congress held in January. In particular, in domestic and international fields, he repeatedly emphasized our-style socialism, our nation's primacy, and the primacy of the people's masses, encouraged five-year plans by sector, and stressed improvements in people's lives including agriculture, light industry, livestock, fisheries, and housing."

Regarding analyses that the policy speech appears conciliatory toward the South and hostile toward the U.S., creating a 'temperature difference,' the official responded, "Rather than making premature judgments or hasty interpretations about the temperature and position differences, we will respond cautiously and calmly while conducting comprehensive analysis."

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