Lee In-young “Let’s start video reunion for separated families in the New Year”… Will Kim Jong-un be able to return within the year?

Unification Minister Lee In-young said on the 25th, “I hope this Lunar New Year will start a video reunion with separated families. As soon as the Corona 19 incident calms down, we will promote family reunions on a day when the two Koreas can commemorate together.” Minister Lee said at a press conference on the same day, “We will create conditions for reactivating the peace process on the Korean Peninsula through policy coordination with the new US administration.”

Minister Lee described the year 2021 as’the time of the Ministry of Unification’ and said, “I will do my best to restore inter-Korean relations in the first half of (this year) and normalize inter-Korean relations in the second half.” It is interpreted that the Ministry of Unification has expressed its will to play the utmost role in improving inter-Korean and US-North Korea relations in a situation where practical dialogue between the two Koreas has been cut off after the North Korean bombing of the North-South liaison office in June of last year, and uncertainties increased due to the launch of the US administration Joe Biden. Minister Lee said, “This is the time for the Ministry of Unification to create a change in the situation by entering the inflection point on the Korean peninsula.” “Rather than going to cause tension (between North and South), we approach each other’s possibilities very seriously. Because of that, this year can be a time of opportunity.”

Regarding the issue of the North Korea’s request for the suspension of ROK-US combined training in March, Minister Lee said, “We will proceed wisely by taking comprehensive considerations of the Corona 19 situation, the Tokyo Olympics, the issue that the US policy on the Korean Peninsula has not been established, and the transfer of our wartime powers. “As we, as well as North Korea and the US, are refraining from creating tensions with each other, we look forward to finding a flexible solution so that military training does not lead to serious military tensions.” Minister Lee said, “I hope that the (ROK-US joint training) will be able to flexibly open the perspective of the North as well as the issues of the Korean government.”

Regarding the Biden administration, which was launched on the 20th, Minister Lee said, “Because (President Biden) is a person who has been very supportive and respectful of the Sunshine policy of former President Kim Dae-jung. We can do it,” he said. “Before talking about the difference in perspective between Korea and the United States, it is time to focus on common and make efforts to develop it.” He added, “(President Biden) was in a position that if North Korea reduced its nuclear capabilities in the days of a candidate, we could hold a summit meeting.” “(Biden administration) said, “The (Biden administration) There seems to be a lot of things.”

It reaffirmed the existing position that flexibility is needed regarding sanctions against North Korea. Minister Lee said, “If our government is flexible in sanctions (on North Korea), we will be able to promote the negotiations for denuclearization of North Korea. It is the same as our government that (Biden administration) is consistently promoting humanitarian cooperation (with North Korea). “We need to make good public announcements that can have another positive effect on the improvement of inter-Korean relations and US-North Korea relations.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Unification announced the position that “it is a promise (between the leaders of the two Koreas), and the promise is still valid” to the return of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In this regard, a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Unification said, “It is desirable to have a return visit during the term of President Moon Jae-in.” Regarding the support for the coronavirus vaccine that Minister Lee has emphasized, Lee said, “We cannot say that we will prioritize quarantine cooperation with North Korea unless the situation to keep our people safe from corona is given priority.”

Reporter Jeong Jin-woo [email protected]