Seoul: New Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday emphasized the need to restore communication channels and resume dialogue with North Korea, calling them his top priorities as he took office. "Restoring communication channels and resuming dialogue (between the two Koreas) are tasks I must pursue as soon as possible," Chung told reporters ahead of his inauguration ceremony as the first unification minister under President Lee Jae Myung. The president approved his appointment as the country's top point man on North Korea earlier in the day.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung highlighted that it has been six years since talks between South and North Korea were suspended, which he described as far too long. He also mentioned that renaming the ministry is not a priority, emphasizing the importance of recovering its manpower, which had been reduced under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Although he has suggested renaming the ministry to increase the chances of dialogue, his immediate focus is on restoring communication.
Chung described the past three years as the worst point in inter-Korean relations, characterized by animosity and confrontation. He noted the recent suspensions of mutual propaganda broadcasts as the "first signal" of recovering trust between the two Koreas. Chung expressed a desire to move past animosity and open an era of reconciliation and cooperation. He hopes for a joint event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of pre-division poet Kim So-wol's poetry collection, "Azaleas."
Ahead of the inauguration ceremony, Chung visited the truce village of Panmunjom near the inter-Korean border, inspecting the South's facilities at this historic venue. He stressed the urgency of restoring inter-Korean communication channels to resume dialogue swiftly. Chung pledged to transform Panmunjom into a space for connection and cooperation, working in collaboration with relevant agencies like the U.N. Command.
Chung, a journalist-turned-lawmaker, previously served as unification minister in 2004-05 under former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun.