Lee In-young "We Must Choose Dialogue, Not North Korean Missiles"

[Asia Economy Reporter Inho Yoo] On the 25th, Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, stated regarding North Korea's recent military provocations, "Now is not the time for the North to choose missiles, but rather to come to the table for dialogue and cooperation."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Minister Lee said this during a video congratulatory speech at the 2022 Korean Peninsula Peace Forum held at Kangwon National University, adding, "If additional tensions escalate, the situation on the Korean Peninsula will become more unstable, and there is a high possibility of entering a cycle of long-term conflict and confrontation."

He stated, "The choice of our people, especially the North's choice, must be a cycle of peace," and added, "Moreover, considering variables such as the intensifying US-China strategic competition, our upcoming presidential election, and the US midterm elections, the early part of this year and the first half cannot be allowed to pass by without urgent and pressing efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula."

He further added, "Now is a time when the choice of dialogue is far more effective than missiles, even to overcome the North's own negotiating obstacle of demanding the withdrawal of hostile policies, which it has continuously asserted."

Minister Lee also expressed the necessity of a declaration to formally end the war and his willingness to cooperate with North Korea.

He said, "A declaration to end the war is a meaningful starting point to lay down mutual hostile intentions and begin dialogue, thereby creating a stronger structure for peace on the Korean Peninsula," and predicted, "It will be a very useful catalyst to advance the stalled denuclearization negotiations."

He added, "The government will also pay attention to areas of cooperation that contribute to coexistence and trust-building between the South and the North," and noted, "New possibilities for change are also being detected, such as the recent resumption of freight train operations at the North Korea-China border."