Seoul's foreign minister dismisses unification counterpart's peace plan as 'idealistic'

A notable rift has emerged between South Korea's foreign and unification ministries over the approach to North Korea policy, particularly concerning a proposal for a "peace regime" and four-party talks. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has publicly expressed skepticism towards Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's initiative, labeling it "idealistic" and "uncoordinated."

During a press briefing following a ministry briefing to the president, Cho stated that Chung's proposal for securing momentum for four-party talks involving South Korea, North Korea, the U.S., and China seemed "realistically difficult." He suggested that Chung's ideas were based on idealism and should be viewed with a degree of discount, emphasizing that such discussions have not yet reached the appropriate stage, unlike previous six-party talks.

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I think it is realistically difficult. Minister Chung spoke idealistically, so please give him some discount.

Chung's unification ministry had outlined its key initiatives for the latter half of the year, including exploring the possibility of four-party talks and proposing the removal of the term "enemy state" when referring to North Korea, instead using its official name, "Joseon." The ministry also suggested dispatching a special envoy for peace on the Korean Peninsula and implementing a "Peacemaker-Pacemaker+" initiative.

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The proposal to secure momentum for four-party talks related to peace regime discussions is based on idealism. It seems to be one of the methods that has not yet been coordinated.

Cho's critical remarks extended to the unification ministry's consideration of participating in the Eastern Economic Forum hosted by Russia, stating that such engagement falls under the purview of the foreign ministry. He acknowledged that the unification ministry might be considering it due to its North Korea linkage but indicated that the matter had not progressed to that stage.

Despite the public disagreement, Cho affirmed the foreign ministry's commitment to working towards peace on the Korean Peninsula. He mentioned efforts to engage with North Korea during upcoming international events like the UN General Assembly in September and the APEC summit in November. He also plans to discuss North Korea issues as a "top priority" with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his expected visit to South Korea.

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We have had six-party talks, three-party talks, and four-party talks, but we have not reached that stage yet.