Restoration of Inter-Korean Dialogue Headquarters Abolished by Yoon; Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Office to Be Dissolved

Ministry of Unification Announces Organizational Restructuring Plan

Departments within the Ministry of Unification that were consolidated during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, including the Inter-Korean Dialogue Headquarters, will be restored.

On October 14, the Ministry of Unification announced its "Plan for Organizational Restructuring of the Ministry of Unification," which includes these measures. Previously, in September 2023, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration merged the Bureau of Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation, the Inter-Korean Cooperation District Development Planning Team, and the Inter-Korean Transit Office-departments responsible for inter-Korean exchange and cooperation work-into the Inter-Korean Relations Management Division (director-general level). In addition, the ministry’s total staff was reduced by 81 people, from 617 to 536, a decrease of about 13 percent. This decision reflected the intention of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who viewed the Ministry of Unification primarily as an agency for aid to North Korea.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Unification will first abolish the Inter-Korean Relations Management Division and distribute its functions. Dialogue, liaison, and transit functions will be handled by the restored Inter-Korean Dialogue Headquarters. The Inter-Korean Dialogue Headquarters will be responsible for establishing strategies for inter-Korean talks, operating inter-Korean meetings, restoring and operating inter-Korean communication channels, and managing inter-Korean transit. Additionally, exchange and cooperation functions will be managed by the restored Peace Exchange Office, while functions related to the Kaesong Industrial Complex will be handled by the restored Peace Cooperation District Promotion Team.

Furthermore, to promote sustainable policies for the Korean Peninsula based on national consensus, the ministry will establish the "Korean Peninsula Policy Listening Team" directly under the minister. This team will be tasked with encouraging private sector participation in inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, expanding the atmosphere of peace, and planning and coordinating social dialogue.

The Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Office, which was created by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to address North Korean human rights issues, will be abolished. In its place, the Social and Cultural Cooperation Bureau will be established to promote stable inter-Korean social and cultural exchanges and to effectively address humanitarian issues such as separated families. The North Korean Human Rights Planning Division and the North Korean Human Rights Promotion Division will be merged into the Inter-Korean Human Rights Cooperation Division, while the Separated Families Division and the Abductee Response Team will be integrated into the Separated Families and Abductees Division.

In addition, the Unification Cooperation Bureau will be abolished and absorbed into the Unification Policy Office, and the National Unification Education Institute will be reorganized as the National Peace, Unification, and Democracy Education Institute. This reflects the intention to promote a new unification education that integrates peace, unification, and democracy. The Information Analysis Bureau will be renamed the Situation Analysis Bureau, and a Satellite-Based Analysis Division will be established under it to strengthen satellite-based analysis of the situation in North Korea.

As a result of this organizational restructuring, the number of personnel at the Ministry of Unification will increase by 67, from 533 to 600, representing an increase of about 12 percent. The ministry stated, "Due to the abolition of dedicated departments for inter-Korean dialogue and exchange and cooperation, the core functions and roles of the Ministry of Unification had effectively become nominal. We have decided to restore dialogue and exchange functions to normalize the ministry," adding, "To swiftly realize the national goal of peaceful coexistence and joint prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, we have reorganized and strengthened the ministry around these key functions."