South Korea anticipates North Korea’s response to Yoon’s ‘Unification Doctrine’: minister

South Korean Minister of Unification Kim Yung-ho on Friday said he believes North Korea will be responsive to the doctrine on the Korean Peninsula unification announced by President Yoon Suk Yeol the day before.

“I believe that North Korea will carefully consider our proposal,” the minister told a news briefing held at the Government Complex in Seoul.

The “Aug. 15 Unification Doctrine,” unveiled by the president during his Liberation Day remarks, entails reunifying Korea by enlightening North Koreans about freedom and democracy.

Yoon’s doctrine views the North Korean people as key actors separate from the Kim Jong-un regime in the path to unification.

On concerns that the presidential doctrine could provoke an aggressive response from North Korea, the unification minister said he disagreed.

“The president left the door wide open for dialogue with North Korea on any issue ranging from denuclearization to humanitarian affairs to other exchanges,” he said.

“As we have made the proposal for dialogue, now is the time to wait for North Korea’s response.”

He said for dialogue to be possible, the inter-Korean joint liaison office would need to be revived, and military communication channels reactivated.

Under the doctrine, the minister said efforts will be expanded to facilitate North Korean people’s access to the outside world.

“We will implement measures to enhance North Koreans’ rights to access information from outside the country so that they will have the opportunity to become aware of the reality of the regime,” he said.

He added that North Korean escapees will be offered greater protection and help in settling here.

The minister said the administration’s approach to Korean re-unification as outlined in the doctrine was “to not depend on the North Korean regime to have good intentions.”

“Let me once again make it clear that it is the stance of our administration to pursue a gradual and peaceful reunification,” he said.