Yoon: "Unification Must Be Based on Freedom... Efforts for North Korean Residents' Quality of Life and Human Rights" (Comprehensive)

Unification Minister's Briefing on Unification Policy Direction
Yoon: "Unification Must Cooperate Responsibly with the International Community"
Strengthening Job Support for North Korean Defectors
Law School Tuition and Admission Support
Expansion of Practical Training Institutions for North Korean Doctors

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated, "The unification we pursue is based on the universal human value of freedom and must be a unification that expands the freedom of each and every North Korean resident." He reiterated a new perspective on unification based on liberal democracy, emphasizing the need to move toward a free unified Korean Peninsula where all citizens are owners.

Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho conveyed on the 8th at a briefing held at the Government Seoul Office that President Yoon emphasized this after receiving a report on the Ministry of Unification's unification policy direction the previous day.

The Ministry of Unification reported to President Yoon the day before, stating, "Now, when the Kim Jong-un regime defines the Republic of Korea as a hostile state and erases the nation and unification, it is precisely the time for our government to unwaveringly aim for a unified state and actively present our vision for unification," and announced plans to prepare a 'New Unification Initiative' reflecting liberal philosophy.

Earlier, on March 1, President Yoon defined the roots of the March 1st Independence Movement Declaration as liberalism and emphasized cooperation with the international community based on freedom and the freedom of North Korean residents in his commemorative speech. At that time, the Presidential Office also announced plans to create a new perspective on unification that includes the values of liberal democracy, marking the 30th anniversary of the officially formalized 'Plan for National Community Unification' in 1994.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon also instructed, "Unification is not only a matter of inter-Korean relations but a task that the international community must responsibly cooperate to achieve as a universal human value," Minister Kim said.

In particular, he urged, "The Ministry of Unification must make its best efforts to improve the quality of life and human rights of each North Korean resident, who are our citizens under the constitution, and ensure that there is no negligence in the protection and support of North Korean defectors both domestically and internationally."

When asked about the contents to be included in the new unification initiative at the briefing, Minister Kim explained, "We will establish a new unification initiative embodying liberal philosophy, reflecting changes in the North Korean nuclear issue, the human rights situation in North Korea, and the international situation," adding, "The Ministry of Unification will broadly collect opinions from the public and the international community to prepare a new unification initiative that many citizens support and the international community can empathize with."

To this end, the Ministry of Unification plans to gather opinions through the 2nd Future Unification Planning Committee, an advisory body to the minister that will be launched on the 15th of this month. The 2nd Future Unification Planning Committee will be reinforced with North Korean defectors, youth, foreigners, and academic experts.

Minister Kim stated that this year's unification policy direction includes efforts by the Ministry of Unification to raise awareness of the human rights realities in North Korea, establish a unification perspective based on liberal democracy and human rights, and strengthen support for North Korean defectors. This is interpreted as an intention to give hope to North Korean residents about South Korea while building a justification for liberal democratic unification both domestically and internationally.

The Ministry of Unification plans to establish legal grounds to support the law school tuition fees of North Korean defectors and request the Ministry of Education to actively consider selecting North Korean defectors in the law school admissions 'special track (7% of the quota).' Although North Korean defectors are already eligible for the special track, only two lawyers have emerged among the 34,000 defectors who have entered South Korea so far. Additionally, efforts will be made to expand practical training institutions to facilitate the acquisition of relevant qualifications for defectors who worked as medical professionals such as doctors, dentists, and traditional Korean medicine doctors in North Korea.

To strengthen unification capabilities, July 14 will be designated as North Korean Defectors' Day to widely publicize success stories and send messages of hope to North Korean residents. In particular, through the 4th Basic Plan for North Korean Defectors' Settlement Support (2024?2026), the policy direction will shift from 'individual-centered' support to 'family-centered.' Reflecting actual demand, the intensive vocational training courses (currently 15 types) will be reorganized, and support for job success packages and personalized employment and entrepreneurship will be provided.

Moreover, to enable our citizens to understand the reality of North Korean human rights in their daily lives, the Ministry has purchased land for the National North Korean Human Rights Center, aiming to open it by 2026, and has begun designing it. Content such as the 2024 North Korean Human Rights Report publication and talk concerts will also be developed. To establish a correct historical view, national perspective, security view, and unification perspective for future generations, the basic unification education textbooks will be enhanced, and North Korean information services for the public will be expanded.

Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho is presenting the 2024 Unification Ministry current issues report and major work plans on the morning of the 8th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

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