Cross-border Travel, Reunions of Separated Families, and Defectors All Decreased

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] It has been revealed that there were no crossings between South and North Korea last year. This is due to the stalemate on the Korean Peninsula and the continued spread of COVID-19.

According to the '2022 Unification White Paper' published by the Ministry of Unification on the 11th, there were no crossings between South and North Korea in 2021. No officials visited the North, and no officials visited the South. The number of crossings between South and North Korea has decreased since the year COVID-19 began.

Before the suspension of the Kaesong Industrial Complex in 2016, the number of crossings between South and North Korea exceeded 100,000. In 2018, when the inter-Korean summit and the North Korea-US summit were held, 7,498 people crossed (6,689 to the North and 809 to the South), and in 2019, 9,835 people crossed (9,835 to the North and 0 to the South), which contrasts sharply. In 2020, when COVID-19 started, the number was 613.

As the number of crossings between South and North Korea decreased, family reunions did not take place last year. This is the first time since 1985 that even civilian-level reunions have not occurred. At the civilian level, there were also no confirmations of life and death, no exchange of letters, and no visits to the South or North, nor video reunions.

With North Korea blocking foreign trade as part of COVID-19 quarantine measures, the number of trade transactions last year was limited to four. In 2018 (699 cases) and 2019 (434 cases), trade occurred around the time of the summits, but from 2020 (45 cases), it sharply declined.

As North Korea strengthened border security for COVID-19 prevention, the number of North Korean defectors also decreased. Last year, 40 men and 23 women defectors entered South Korea. In the 2000s

Minister of Unification Lee In-young diagnosed the current situation in the foreword of the white paper, stating, "The situation on the Korean Peninsula is now passing through another critical juncture," and "At the beginning of this year, North Korea launched medium-range ballistic missiles, which had been suspended since 2017, and even mentioned reviewing the termination of the moratorium on nuclear and long-range ballistic missiles, raising the level of tension."

Minister Lee said, "For whatever reason, the dialogue and negotiation foundations established through the efforts of South Korea, North Korea, and the US must never be destroyed, nor should peace on the Korean Peninsula be reverted to a time of confrontation and conflict," and added, "We must make the wise choice to promptly resume dialogue and cooperation."

The Ministry of Unification plans to publish a total of 10,000 copies of the Unification White Paper and distribute them to legislative, judicial, and administrative agencies, as well as private organizations and research institutions related to unification.

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