Gov't to step up study on post-unification legal system

The unification ministry said Tuesday it will sign an agreement with the ministries of justice and government legislation to jointly prepare the legal system for South Korea's possible unification with North Korea.

Under the agreement, the ministries plan to step up collaboration in their research into a post-unification legal system, according to the ministry dealing with inter-Korean affairs.

The joint legal efforts are aimed at reducing possible legal confusion and costs expected during and after the unification of the two countries.

"There has been so far no long-term plan regarding the legal system for unification and the collaboration between government ministries has not been very smooth," a unification ministry said.

"The latest agreements are expected to lower barriers among the ministries and increase the public's access to the legal system for unification,"

In their first joint step, the ministries plan to integrate their database on the subject as well as seek joint research projects and academic conferences, the unification ministry said.

Under the agreement, the three ministries also plan to further expand their existing quarterly meetings on the unification law field, the ministry also noted.

The heads of the three ministries, including Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, are scheduled to sign the agreement on Wednesday.

Since taking office in early 2013, President Park Geun-hye has been pushing policies in preparation for the country's unification with the North.

The Korean Peninsula remains divided into the capitalist South and the communist North since 1945. (Yonhap)