Moon Jae

The Lee Jae Myung government has shifted its focus to a peaceful “two-state” coexistence with North Korea, rather than pressure and confrontation, the unification ministry’s white paper showed Monday, striking a markedly different tone from its predecessor.

The annual paper reflects the push by the Lee government, which took office in June last year, to repair the strained inter-Korean relationship based on building mutual trust.

The previous conservative Yoon Suk Yeol government sought to bring about change in North Korea through pressure and the influx of outside information.

The latest white paper laid out three key guiding principles: Seoul respects North Korea’s system, does not pursue unification by absorption and does not engage in hostile activities.

Built on these principles, the government has framed its overarching policy as one of “peaceful coexistence and mutual growth on the Korean Peninsula.”

In particular, regarding Pyongyang’s “two hostile states” policy, the document specified the ministry’s stance that highlights the need for a transition to a “peace-oriented two-state relationship” aimed at achieving unification.

At a year-end party meeting in December 2023, the North Korean leader declared inter-Korean relations as those between “two states hostile to each other” and has since pursued hostile policies toward Seoul.

“Considering the reality that the South and the North exist as two de facto states, we intend to develop inter-Korean relations into a relationship of peaceful coexistence while still aiming for unification,” the ministry said.

Critics said the ministry’s “peace-oriented two-state relationship” narrative runs counter to the long-held stance that inter-Korean ties are a “special relationship” tentatively formed in the process of seeking unification, not as state-to-state relations.

Among the measures cited is the Lee government’s decision to halt the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets to North Korea and stop loudspeaker broadcasts along the border as steps to ease military tension and rebuild trust.

The paper also outlines plans to revive the Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement, signed by former President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018, and pursue a bilateral accord to establish a systematic foundation for peaceful coexistence.

The shift in policy priorities is visible in the paper’s language. References to “peace” and “peaceful coexistence” surged to 196 from 29 and mentions of “meeting” or “dialogue” rose to 58 from 16.

By contrast, the section on North Korean human rights has been significantly scaled back. The term “North Korea’s human rights” dropped to 26 from 156, and “freedom” fell to three from 43. Mentions of “North Korean defectors” plummeted to just 10 from 203.

In a foreword message for the paper, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated, “Peace on the Korean Peninsula is not a choice for us, but a lifeline.”

“As we practice peace through actions rather than words, I hope that the South and the North can sit down together once again as neighbors peacefully coexisting with each other,” he added.

Despite Seoul’s olive branch, inter-Korean relations remain virtually frozen. There has been no inter-Korean human exchange in five years and no economic exchange whatsoever, the paper showed.

Pyongyang, meanwhile, has doubled down on its two-state policy, revising its constitution to remove all references to unification and cutting off remaining ties with Seoul.

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Former President Moon Jae-in on Monday urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to resume inter-Korean talks, calling it the “fastest and safest” way to overcome the current deadlock.

Moon made the call during a ceremony held at the National Assembly to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the Panmunjom Declaration, a landmark agreement signed by Moon and Kim during their summit at the truce village of Panmunjom in April 2018.

“I ask you to return to the spirit of the April 27 Panmunjom summit and open the door to dialogue, and to work together with the Lee Jae Myung government to once again build a vision of ‘peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula’ and to live as a proud member of the international community,” Moon said. “Inter-Korean dialogue is the fastest and safest breakthrough to overcome the current deadlock.”

Moon also stressed that Pyongyang cannot be ensured “genuine security” by continuing to bolster its military capabilities and opting for isolation.

“Engaging in communication and expanding exchanges with the outside world, instead, is the most effective way to safeguard security,” he added.

On U.S.-North Korea relations, Moon expressed hope that Kim will take the “bold step of sitting down” with U.S. President Donald Trump as Trump earlier voiced his willingness to engage in talks with the North.

“I hope you use the improved inter-Korean ties as a bridge toward dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. as you did eight years ago,” he said.

Moon then urged Trump to demonstrate his decisiveness to help bring back the North to the negotiating table, saying the Korean Peninsula issue is a “key national interest” of the United States that must never be pushed down its list of priorities.

“There is no other way but to seek a diplomatic solution to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and bring peace to the Korean Peninsula,” he added.

Lee has offered to resume stalled talks with the North since taking office in June last year, but Pyongyang has rebuffed his peace overtures.

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