"A Denuclearized, Peaceful, and Prosperous Korean Peninsula"… Official Announcement of the 'Bold Initiative'

Signing of Inter-Korean Peace Agreement upon Achieving 'Complete Denuclearization'
Initial Measures → Substantial Denuclearization → Complete Denuclearization
"Supporting US-North Korea Relations Normalization... Promoting Inter-Korean Arms Control"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The government plans to promote measures in the political and military fields to support the normalization of US-North Korea relations, establish a peace regime, and control arms between South and North Korea, according to the denuclearization roadmap called the 'Bold Initiative.' Denuclearization negotiations with North Korea are divided into three stages: initial measures, practical denuclearization, and complete denuclearization, with the idea of simultaneously implementing corresponding measures at each stage.

The Ministry of Unification officially announced this plan on the 21st by publishing materials on the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's unification and inter-Korean policies aimed at a denuclearized, peaceful, and prosperous Korean Peninsula.

First, the government plans to support the normalization of US-North Korea relations through diplomatic measures in the political and military fields. The plan is to improve US-North Korea relations during the practical denuclearization stage and promote normalization of US-North Korea relations at the complete denuclearization stage.

Regarding the establishment of a peace regime, the government intends to initiate discussions on building a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula and promote substantive peace settlement, including signing a peace agreement once North Korea achieves complete denuclearization.

Additionally, the government revealed plans to pursue arms control as a military measure. The goal is to first ease military tensions and then promote military trust-building and arms control between South and North Korea to prevent accidental clashes.

Bold Initiative Step-by-Step Implementation Plan
Photo by Ministry of Unification

The Ministry of Unification divided the detailed stages of the 'Bold Initiative' into three phases: initial measures, practical denuclearization, and complete denuclearization. It also systematized an overall framework of corresponding economic, political, and military measures for each stage.

In the initial measures stage, the plan is to start pilot projects to improve North Korean livelihoods, such as resource and food exchange programs on the Korean Peninsula, healthcare, water sanitation, forestry, and agriculture, followed by deriving a comprehensive agreement. Through the subsequent comprehensive agreement, the definition and goals of denuclearization will be established, and a roadmap containing phased denuclearization measures and sector-specific corresponding actions will be prepared.

From the practical denuclearization stage, economic cooperation and political-military measures will be actively implemented simultaneously. In the economic cooperation sector, the government will promote the launch of the 'South-North Joint Economic Development Committee,' support for power generation and transmission infrastructure, port and airport modernization projects, agricultural technology support programs, hospital and medical infrastructure modernization, and international investment and financial support programs. In the political and military fields, improvements in US-North Korea relations, discussions on establishing a peace regime, and measures to ease military tensions will be implemented.

Upon reaching the final stage of complete denuclearization, economic cooperation will be fully activated through expanded investment and trade, and the full implementation of the South-North Joint Economic Development Plan will proceed. Political and military measures include normalizing US-North Korea relations, establishing a substantive peace regime through signing a peace agreement, and enhancing military trust through full-scale arms control.

Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se [Photo by Yonhap News]

The booklet released on this day also presented three major principles to implement the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's North Korea policy in addition to the 'Bold Initiative.'

The Ministry of Unification cited 'zero tolerance for any armed provocations' as the first of the three principles, explaining that it will not tolerate any armed provocations by North Korea and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo. The other principles include 'mutually beneficial development of inter-Korean relations' and 'establishing a foundation for peaceful unification.'

The five key tasks include 'a virtuous cycle of denuclearization and inter-Korean trust-building,' directly related to the Bold Initiative; 'normalization of inter-Korean relations based on mutual respect'; 'improvement of human rights for North Korean residents and alleviation of division-related suffering'; 'restoration of ethnic homogeneity through openness and communication,' which includes plans to open the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors; and 'preparing for unification together with the people and the international community.'

An official from the Ministry of Unification said, "We will strive to create a virtuous cycle of North Korea's denuclearization and inter-Korean trust-building," adding, "We will secure support for the government's unification and North Korea policies and peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula through continuous communication with the international community."

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