Freedom is the core national philosophy of the Yoon administration

The South Korean government will pursue “peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization of North Korea in line with the path to the four freedoms” this year

Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho holds a New Year’s Roundtable Discussion with the presidents of four research institutions (February 5)

On February 5, Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho held a New Year’s Roundtable Discussion with the theme “Assessing the Situation and Devising Strategy for 2024, for a Unified Korean Peninsula that is Free and at Peace” with presidents of four prominent research institutions.

The roundtable was attended by President Kim Chun Sig of the Korea Institute for National Unification, Chancellor Park Cheol Hee of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, President Han Suk Hee of the Institute for National Security Strategy, and Director-General Park Young Jun of the Research Institute for National Security Affairs at Korea National Defense University.

During the roundtable discussion, Minister Kim pointed out that the North’s recent actions to deny and scratch out the idea of a unified Korean people and unification is an act of tearing down the foundations of hereditary succession of power itself and can lead to the possibility of an ideological vacuum and confusion within the North Korean regime. Furthermore, he emphasized that at times like this, the government must unite the strength of the people and steadfastly push for principle-based unification and North Korea policies that are rooted in Article 3 and Article 4 of the Constitution.

In this regard, the South Korean government has announced that this year it will spearhead the situation on the Korean Peninsula based on universal values like individual freedoms and human rights and a policy that aims to embrace the people of North Korea.

In particular, Minister Kim said that the government will formulate North Korea policies and work towards the denuclearization of North Korea from the perspective of the four freedoms, here referring to “the freedom from the threat of nuclear war,” “the freedom of association,” “the basic freedoms outlined in the Republic of Korea Constitution,” and “the realization of freedom through peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.”