South Korea proposes four-way dialogue with North Korea, US, China for peace regime

South Korean Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young has proposed a significant step toward peace on the Korean Peninsula, suggesting a four-way dialogue involving North Korea, South Korea, the United States, and China. Speaking at the 11th Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security in Mongolia, Jeong explicitly used North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a move he has made previously in domestic settings to foster trust.

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We can start a four-way dialogue between the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, and China.

This initiative aims to establish a peace regime on the peninsula, a key policy of the current administration. Jeong envisions expanding the dialogue framework to include other Northeast Asian nations like Mongolia, Japan, and Russia. He believes that rebuilding inter-Korean trust, institutionalizing a peace system, and advancing multilateral dialogue in the region can create a new peace order across Northeast Asia.

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We should expand the framework of the four-way dialogue to include other Northeast Asian countries such as Mongolia, Japan, and Russia.

To concretize these plans, Jeong proposed cooperation on Arctic shipping routes linked to the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) and the connection of high-speed rail between Seoul and Beijing. He specifically urged North Korea to rejoin the GTI as a full member, highlighting that the plan's success hinges on Pyongyang's participation and that it would be the biggest beneficiary. The GTI, a regional cooperation initiative launched by the UN Development Programme in 1991, saw North Korea withdraw in 2009.

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If we simultaneously advance these three pillars, rebuilding trust between South and North Korea, institutionalizing a 'Korean Peninsula Peace Regime,' and promoting multilateral dialogue in Northeast Asia, we can establish a new peace order throughout Northeast Asia.

Recent high-level discussions between China and Russia have also touched upon the GTI, with both leaders expressing a commitment to continued cooperation involving North Korea. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung also mentioned the GTI during a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in January, seeking Beijing's cooperation and mediation. North Korea has not participated in the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue since 2018, despite Mongolia maintaining friendly relations with both Koreas.

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If GTI member states work together, we can connect regional rail networks like the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Trans-China Railway, the Trans-Mongolian Railway, and the Seoul-Beijing High-Speed Railway with Arctic shipping routes.