Kwon Young-se Meets with US CSIS Director to Seek Support for 'Bold Initiative'

Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se meets and shakes hands with John Hamre, President of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 30th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] On the 30th, Kwon Young-se, Minister of Unification, met with John Hamre, President of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), at the Government Seoul Office to exchange views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and policies on unification and North Korea.

According to the Ministry of Unification, Minister Kwon and President Hamre agreed on the need to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance and for South Korea to actively cooperate with the international community in order to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, where tensions are rising due to North Korea's military provocations.

Minister Kwon introduced to President Hamre the government's denuclearization roadmap, the "Bold Initiative," aimed at creating a denuclearized, peaceful, and prosperous Korean Peninsula, and requested interest and support from the U.S. political and public spheres.

President Hamre expressed his gratitude for Minister Kwon's explanation and mentioned that since the North Korean issue is an important matter not only for the Korean Peninsula but also for the Northeast Asian region, CSIS will make efforts to pay close attention to it. He also added that it is important for the Ministry of Unification to publicize inter-Korean relations and unification issues in the international community and expand the support base through international conferences such as the Korea Global Peace Forum (KGFP).

A Ministry of Unification official explained, "Both sides agreed to continue exchanging opinions and cooperating on various issues, including those related to the Korean Peninsula and the region, in the future."