Exchanging Views on the Policy for Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula

Minister Chung Dong Young Meets with the Vice-President of the German Bundestag (June 22)

On June 22, Minister of Unification Chung Dong Young met with Bodo Ramelow, the visiting Vice-President of the German Bundestag, to exchange views on the South Korean government’s Policy for Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.

Minister Chung elaborated on the Policy for Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and requested Germany’s support.

He noted that the division of the Korean Peninsula has persisted for over 80 years, leaving the deepening alienation between the two sides and the issue of separated families unresolved. In light of this, he emphasized the urgent need for dialogue, exchange, and cooperation.

Furthermore, Minister Chung explained that the Lee Jae Myung administration’s Policy for Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula shares the same fundamental direction as Germany’s Eastern Policy, which advanced peaceful coexistence, reconciliation, and cooperation between East and West Germany.

Vice-President Bodo Ramelow highlighted Chancellor Willy Brandt’s policy of “Change through Rapprochement” and expressed his sincere hope for the advancement of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

He recalled that during its period of division, Germany also constantly faced anxiety and the perpetual risk that military confrontation could escalate through accidental clashes. He advised that the limited cross-border travel and interaction among residents in the former East-West German border regions helped mitigate mutual alienation and ultimately served as the bedrock for the subsequent development of exchange and cooperation.

Both sides agreed to continue making concerted efforts to develop diverse cooperative relations to foster peace on the Korean Peninsula moving forward.