Trust Reconfirmed Through Inter-Korean Leaders' Letters... Message Sent to the 'Next Government'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, exchanged letters ahead of President Moon's departure from office, emphasizing the need to strive for improved inter-Korean relations. This reaffirmed the trust between the two leaders and is analyzed to contain messages directed at the next administration.

Park Kyung-mi, spokesperson for the Blue House, stated on the 22nd, "Through the recent exchange of letters, President Moon and General Secretary Kim reflected on the past five years and shared mutual understanding regarding their continued efforts for peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula through trust and dialogue."

Earlier that day, the Korean Central News Agency reported that President Moon sent a letter to General Secretary Kim on the 20th, and Kim responded with a reply letter the following day.

In his letter, General Secretary Kim evaluated, "Although we have not achieved all the hopes we wished for, we have produced historic declarations and agreements that serve as milestones in inter-Korean relations, which are undeniable achievements." He added, "Based on the efforts made so far, if the South and the North continue to devote sincere efforts without hesitation, inter-Korean relations can certainly be improved and developed in line with the expectations of our people."

President Moon expressed in his letter, "We must overcome the era of confrontation through dialogue, and I hope that dialogue between North Korea and the United States will resume soon." He also said, "The progress of dialogue is the responsibility of the next government." Furthermore, he stated, "The Panmunjom Declaration, the Pyongyang Declaration, and the September 19 Military Agreement created by the South and North should serve as the foundation for unification, and I will always believe and wait for the efforts of both sides to be revived as a precious driving force for peace on the Korean Peninsula."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This letter is significant in that it reaffirmed the trust between the two leaders and suggested the possibility of improving inter-Korean relations. The Blue House also expressed expectations that this exchange of letters "will serve as a foundation for the development of inter-Korean relations."

It appears to also reflect North Korea's desire for the next administration, which has advocated a hardline policy toward the North, to engage more actively in dialogue. On the way to the Seoul Inter-Korean Summit Office, where he is preparing for his confirmation hearing, nominee for Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se met with reporters and said, "Among Kim Jong-un's letters, there are quite a few contents that are intended to be heard not by President Moon Jae-in but by the new government," adding, "In that sense, it is not bad, but progress in denuclearization must come first."

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