6·15 South Side Committee: "Bold Initiative is a Pre-Nuclear Disarmament Policy... Dialogue Must Begin"

"All Premises Placed on North Korea's Denuclearization"

On the 18th, when North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile presumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the area around Kaepung County, Hwanghaebuk-do, North Korea, viewed from Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province, appeared blurry. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The June 15 Joint Declaration Implementation South Korea Committee criticized the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's denuclearization roadmap, the 'Bold Initiative,' and urged it to engage in dialogue.

On the 24th, the June 15 South Korea Committee stated in a commentary, "Although the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's unification and North Korea policy appears to propose denuclearization negotiations and a phased solution, it is essentially a replay of the prior denuclearization policy because it places all preconditions on North Korea's denuclearization."

It added, "It is as if declaring that no actions for peace will be taken before denuclearization by even framing measures such as 'tension reduction and prevention of accidental clashes' as a stage of denuclearization."

It then reiterated, "What is urgent is to stop confrontation and open the door to dialogue."

However, the Ministry of Unification has clarified that the Bold Initiative does not demand prior denuclearization from North Korea. Rather, it is an 'open initiative' that allows for consultations whenever North Korea presents its demands.

An official from the Ministry of Unification explained on the 22nd, "The Bold Initiative is an improved measure based on past lessons of 'North Korea's partial denuclearization, compensation for that, and then returning to square one,' and includes specific measures that both sides should take," highlighting the difference from past demands for prior denuclearization.

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