On May 3, the Ministry of Unification and the Unification Future Planning Committee held a round-table conference with Minister Kwon Youngse to discuss the draft New Future Initiative on Unification (tentative) prepared by the committee.

The conference was attended by about twenty participants, including head of the committee Kim Young-ho, heads of the five subcommittees, head of the special committee Nam Sung-wook and its members, and heads of the major departments of the Unification Ministry.

권영세 장관은 인사말씀을 통해 ｢신통일미래구상｣이 급변하는 국제정세와 북한의 핵 고도화 상황에서 “위기를 기회로 만드는” 구상, 20~30년 지속가능한 “오랜 생명력을 가지는” 구상, “국민과 세계가 힘을 모아주는” 구상이 되어야 한다고 강조했습니다.
Minister Kwon highlighted in his opening remarks that the “New Future Initiative on Unification” should be an initiative that “turns crisis into opportunity” amidst the rapidly changing international situation and the North’s escalating nuclear situation, an initiative that is sustainable and “lives on” for twenty to thirty years, and an initiative that unifies the people and the world.

또한, 통일 한반도의 비전을 실현하기 위한 3대 과제로 통일을 지향하는 올바른 남북관계 정립, 북한의 긍정적 변화 촉진, 체계적인 통일미래 준비를 제시했습니다.
Moreover, the minister presented three key tasks for realizing a unified Korean Peninsula: establishing proper inter-Korean relations that aim for unification, promoting positive changes in North Korea, and systematically preparing for a future of unification.

During the meeting, it was decided to include the vision of “a better future for all members of the Korean Peninsula” and “a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace” in the New Future Initiative on Unification as stated in the joint statement issued by the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. Considering constitutional and universal values, the focus to achieve this vision will be on implementing values such as freedom, human rights, peace, prosperity, and openness.

As policy directions, the establishment of a unification-oriented coexistence relationship, denuclearization and sustainable peace, the realization of universal values such as human rights, the establishment of a cooperative structure for mutual prosperity, a Korean Peninsula that is open and communicative, and a leading role in peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia will be considered. While further developing the policy directions, pilot projects in each area will be explored as well.

The Ministry of Unification plans to gather extensive views from the public through youth dialogues, expert discussions, field seminars, and contest exhibits on a unified future, based on the draft of the New Future Initiative on Unification prepared by the Unification Future Planning Committee.

Furthermore, the government will review and refine the agenda by collecting opinions from international experts on the Korean Peninsula and the international community and announce it at an appropriate time this year.