2nd Term Unification Future Planning Committee Launched… Minister Kim Young-ho "Clear Goal of Free Unification for Korea"

Focus on Discussions to Establish a New Unification Discourse

The 2nd term of the Unification Future Planning Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Planning Committee), an advisory body to the Minister of Unification, was launched on the 15th. The Planning Committee was established in March last year by then-Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se, who aimed to create a new vision for unification, and its role has since shifted to discussing the establishment of a new unification discourse.

On the same day, Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho awarded appointment letters to 45 committee members, including the 2nd term chairman Professor Lee Jung-hoon of Yonsei University, at the Planning Committee inauguration ceremony held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and held the first plenary meeting. The Ministry of Unification explained that the 2nd term of the Planning Committee has been strengthened with members from North Korean defectors, youth, and foreign backgrounds compared to the 1st term.

Since President Yoon Suk-yeol announced his intention to establish a new unification discourse reflecting liberal philosophy on the occasion of the March 1st Independence Movement Day speech this year, the Planning Committee also plans to focus on drafting this discourse.

Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification, is speaking at the 1st meeting of the Unification Future Planning Committee held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 15th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

In his greeting, Minister Kim emphasized that the new unification discourse must start from the perspective that unification is about spreading universal values such as freedom and human rights. He also stated that, as an issue of universal human values to be cooperatively achieved by the international community, the goal of a free and unified Republic of Korea should be clearly set while rallying the people's will for unification.

Chairman Lee Jung-hoon said, "Historically, there has been no precedent of successful integration through any agreement between two systems with different ideologies, thoughts, and objectives, and we must not forget that North Korea has never abandoned its goal of communist unification," adding, "In this situation, we must now more confidently assert the goal of free unification."

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