Transfer of KINU Without Consultation? Ministry of Unification Withdraws Bill Just Three Days After Announcement

The Ministry of Unification announced a bill to transfer the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government-funded research institute, under its jurisdiction without coordinating with other government bodies, but withdrew the bill just three days later.

According to the Ministry of Unification and the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences (NRC), which operates under the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Ministry of Unification announced the draft bill for the “Korea Institute for National Unification Act” on January 14, but withdrew it on January 17, three days later. An official from the Ministry of Unification stated, “The bill was withdrawn following internal and external feedback that sufficient consultation with relevant agencies was necessary,” and added, “We plan to continue discussions with relevant agencies regarding the transfer of the Korea Institute for National Unification in the future.”

Jeong Dongyoung, Minister of Unification. Photo by Yonhap News

Previously, on December 19 of last year, Minister of Unification Jeong Dongyoung asked President Lee Jaemyung during a presidential work briefing to transfer the Korea Institute for National Unification, currently under the NRC, to the Ministry of Unification, saying, “I would like to ask the President for a gift.” President Lee expressed agreement at the time, saying, “That makes sense.”

However, during the process of announcing the bill, the Ministry of Unification did not sufficiently consult with the NRC, to which the Korea Institute for National Unification currently belongs, nor with the Office for Government Policy Coordination, which oversees all government-funded research institutes, leading to internal controversy.

The Korea Institute for National Unification, which was previously under the Ministry of Unification, was reorganized under the current structure of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the NRC, and government-funded research institutes in 1999 as part of a consolidation of national research institutes.