Jeong Dong-young: 'Even if frustrated by North Korea's silence, don't stop peace efforts'

South Korean Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young urged that efforts toward peace with North Korea must not cease, even amid Pyongyang's persistent silence. He acknowledged the deep frustration and challenges arising from North Korea's lack of response to the current administration's peace overtures.

"The task at hand is clear: to manage and transform the precarious relationship between two hostile states into one of peaceful coexistence," Jeong stated on Facebook. He recounted the past year's "proactive peace efforts" by the current administration, noting that the only response has been "harshly heavy and cold silence."

Despite the difficulties, Jeong stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue, invoking the spirit of the June 15 Joint Declaration. "Even though we are at the height of a cold winter, the darkest hour is just before the dawn," he remarked. He expressed determination to "tirelessly persevere" and open a path to prosperity on the foundation of peaceful coexistence, free from hostility.

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The task at hand is clear: to manage and transform the precarious relationship between two hostile states into one of peaceful coexistence.