Ministry of Unification: North Korea as 'Enemy' Expression Does Not Deny Dialogue

Thorough Preparedness for North Korea Provocations... Plan to Continue Dialogue Efforts

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The Ministry of Unification stated on the 6th that even if the first defense white paper of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration includes expressions that define the North Korean regime and the North Korean military as 'enemies,' it does not mean a denial of dialogue and cooperation between the South and the North.

A Ministry of Unification official said to reporters on the same day regarding the inclusion of expressions defining the North Korean regime and North Korea as enemies in the draft of the '2022 Defense White Paper' to be published in January next year, "It is important to comprehensively recognize the dual nature of North Korea."

The official explained, "North Korea is both a current military threat and a subject of dialogue and cooperation to jointly create peace on the Korean Peninsula and improve inter-Korean relations," adding, "The inclusion of the term 'enemy' in the defense white paper is understood as reflecting the nature of the military's mission."

This is interpreted as a stance to thoroughly prepare for North Korea's nuclear and missile threats while continuing efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.

In addition, the Ministry of Unification official pointed out that North Korea's provocation by criticizing the recent South Korea-U.S. firing drills and conducting artillery fire that violates the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement is likely to continue, stating, "The problem is that North Korea repeatedly violates agreements between the South and the North."

He added, "The Ministry of Unification's position is that North Korea must not violate the September 19 military agreement and must sincerely respect and implement it."

North Korea fired about 130 rounds of multiple rocket launchers eastward and westward from the areas around Geumgang County in Gangwon Province and Jangsan Cape in South Hwanghae Province on the previous day.

The rocket projectiles were observed to have fallen in the maritime buffer zone north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), which was established under the September 19 military agreement.