Ministry of Unification Establishes Unification Future Strategy Planning Team for 'Bold Initiative'

Organization Overseeing Unification Future Strategy Planning and Establishment
Strengthening 'Public Participation and Communication' through Participation and Communication Enhancement
Integration of Inter-Korean Cooperation Zone Planning Team and Kaesong Industrial Complex Secretariat

Lee Hyo-jung, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The Ministry of Unification will establish an organization directly under the minister to systematically promote the "Bold Initiative," the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's denuclearization roadmap.

According to the Ministry of Unification on the 9th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to announce for legislative notice from the 9th to the 12th a partial amendment ordinance of the "Organization of the Ministry of Unification and Its Affiliated Agencies," which includes the establishment of the "Unification Future Strategy Planning Group" for planning and formulating a new unification future strategy.

The Unification Future Strategy Planning Group will oversee the establishment of related strategies and plans, build a civilian cooperation system, coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies, and manage international cooperation. This is interpreted as an effort to strengthen the function of strategy formulation while reorganizing the organization for efficient policy implementation when the currently frozen inter-Korean atmosphere changes.

Under the Unification Policy Office, a new "Participation and Communication Division" will also be created to enhance public participation and communication on unification issues.

Additionally, the Kaesong Industrial Complex Inter-Korean Joint Committee Secretariat will be integrated with the Inter-Korean Cooperation Zone Development Planning Group, with the head of the Development Planning Group concurrently serving as the Secretariat Chief of the Joint Committee. In this process, the Development Planning Group, a temporary organization launched in 2004 under the name "Kaesong Industrial Complex Project Support Group" for the first phase development of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, will be converted into a regular organization.

Since the Kaesong Industrial Complex is currently in a full suspension state, the integration of the Joint Committee Secretariat and the Development Planning Group, which have mainly handled related tasks, aims to improve efficiency and expand the scope of work, including new inter-Korean cooperation projects, through the transition to a regular organization.

A Ministry of Unification official explained, "While we have focused on managing the Kaesong Industrial Complex situation and creating conditions for its resumption, going forward, in line with the name 'Inter-Korean Cooperation Zone Development Planning Group,' we will also undertake tasks such as conceiving and planning new inter-Korean cooperation zones from a mid- to long-term perspective, not limited to the Kaesong Industrial Complex."

Furthermore, the Operations Department and Exchange Department of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office will be integrated and reorganized into the Operations and Exchange Department.

Lee Hyo-jung, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification, said at a regular briefing on the same day, "The Ministry of Unification has consulted with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on organizational restructuring to efficiently support changes in the domestic and international unification diplomatic environment and to implement the government's efficient organizational management plan."

The amendment ordinance for this organizational enactment is expected to be promulgated and implemented after legislative notice, followed by the Vice Minister's Cabinet meeting and other procedures.