On April 12, Unification Minister Kwon Youngse met with Professor Park Kyung-Ae of the University of British Columbia and six members from each house of the Canadian Parliament, including Senator Yuen Pau Woo, and discussed the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and ways for cooperation.

※ Senators and Members of Parliament (MP): Senator Yuen Pau Woo, Senator Clément Gignac, Ali Ehsassi MP, Chandra Arya MP, Ed Fast MP, and Randy Hoback MP

Minister Kwon spoke on the current situation in North Korea and explained unification and North Korean policies grounded on the principles of the Korean government.

Minister Kwon stated that the Korean government recognizes the human rights issues in North Korea as being as grave as the issue of North Korea’s denuclearization, explaining that the publication of the Annual Report on the Status of Human Rights in North Korea in late March is part of the commitment.

The Canadian Senators and MPs expressed their interest in the Korean Peninsula issues, asking questions about ways for North Korea to change, priorities for cooperation with the international community, and the outlook for the future.

The Canadian parliamentary mission said they established a bipartisan study group for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula in Parliament in April 2022 and noted that they will make progressive efforts at the parliamentary level to resolve the Korean Peninsula issues.

Minister Kwon asked for continued interest and support from Canada, highlighting the importance of cooperation between the two nations as they share common values regarding the issues on the Korean Peninsula, including denuclearization and human rights.