Hong Yong-pyo: "Unification Policy Should Approach Beyond Ethnicity as a 'Community'"

Former Minister of Unification Proposes Bipartisan Unification Policy
"National Consensus Essential to Overcome Partisan Conflict"
Approach as a 'Community' Rather Than 'Ethnic Homogeneity'

Hong Yong-pyo, former Minister of Unification who led the Ministry of Unification during the Park Geun-hye administration, expressed the view that unification should be approached with the value of a 'community' rather than a 'nation.' He interpreted this as a critique that gaining support from future generations is difficult under the concept of 'ethnic homogeneity,' and that public consensus is essential for bipartisan cooperation.

On the 7th, at the keynote presentation of the academic conference titled "The Necessity of Bipartisan Unification Policy and Legal-Policy Challenges" held at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, former Minister Hong suggested, "Changes are needed in unification plans to match the spirit of the new era." The event was jointly hosted by the Korea Legislation Research Institute, Hanyang University Peace Research Institute, and Jeju Peace Research Institute. Former Minister Hong is currently a professor in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Hanyang University.

Hong Yong-pyo, Former Minister of Unification [Image Source=Yonhap News]

Former Minister Hong emphasized the importance of establishing a 'bipartisan policy' beyond partisan conflicts, diagnosing that "it is not enough to seek cooperation between political parties; ultimately, it must receive national support." He added, "The 'Korean Ethnic Community Unification Plan' announced in 1989 through bipartisan cooperation was meaningful in presenting a benchmark for unification policy, but realistically, it is difficult to gain national support transcending political parties at this point."

To establish constructive unification policies, former Minister Hong advised that before engaging in specific discussions about the form of the state, power structure, and ideology that a 'unified state' would adopt, it is necessary to narrow differences on the question of "what values we will pursue and live by after unification."

In particular, to gain consensus from the younger generation, he proposed applying and utilizing the concept of a 'living community' that approaches unification based on universal and everyday values, moving away from the framework of 'restoring ethnic homogeneity.' For example, if common interests such as 'Pyongyang naengmyeon' are approached with the concept of a 'community of taste,' it would naturally allow people from the South and North who have lived in the same living area to feel commonalities.

In August 2015, North and South Korean officials concluded a four-day, no-sleep high-level inter-Korean meeting at the Freedom House in Panmunjom. From left to right: Kim Yang-gon, Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea; Kim Kwan-jin, Director of the National Security Office; Hwang Pyong-so, Director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army; Hong Yong-pyo, Minister of Unification.
[Photo by Ministry of Unification]

Former Minister Hong stated, "The younger generation who will lead future unification pursues diversity and wants to break away from stereotypes," and he repeatedly emphasized, "Bipartisan unification policy should be promoted in a direction that respects diversity, gathering opinions on good plans rather than judging right or wrong on specific plans or policies."

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