The Ministry of Unification has said it will focus on building channels of North-South dialogue in 2012 as part of its action plan for the year.
The Ministry says its objective is to promote its existing flexible policy towards North Korea through things like humanitarian aid and private exchanges, so as to build communication channels between the two sides.
The government also hopes to be able to establish a direct link between the two sets of authorities. Should the effort meet with success, the government says it will use the line to demand action on the Cheonan sinking and Yeonpyeong Island shelling, not to mention verifying North Korea’s sincerity in terms of denuclearization.
The Ministry also revealed that it hopes to discuss humanitarian issues like reunions of separated families, humanitarian cooperation projects, the Kaesong Industrial Complex and resumption of Mt. Keumgang tourism over the next 12 months.
The Ministry will also expand humanitarian support to vulnerable groups. Ways and means will include essential drugs and basic medical equipment, health care support and nutrition improvement projects; aside from unilateral aid, the government will also look into support through the WHO and UNICEF.
At the meeting in which the annual plan was released this morning, Minister of Unification Ryu Woo Ik commented, “We will watch closely the current situation on the Peninsula and in North Korea and will form the foundations for unification via a strategic, active unification policy.”
