Minister nominee backs renaming Unification Ministry

Unification Minister nominee Chung Dong-young said Tuesday he supports the idea of renaming the Unification Ministry, citing the urgent need to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.

"At present, the overriding task of our people — all members of our nation living on the Korean Peninsula — is establishing a peace regime," Chung told reporters during his doorstep at the Inter-Korean Relations Management Bureau building in Seoul following his nomination.

“Because unification can only be pursued on the foundation of peace and stability, it is necessary to actively consider renaming the Unification Ministry.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un defined inter-Korean relations as “belligerent” and “hostile” at a party plenum held in late 2023, declaring that the North would no longer pursue unification. Against that backdrop, calls to rename the Unification Ministry have emerged, and Chung expressed a positive stance toward the idea.

With regard to the possible resumption of a Trump–Kim summit, Chung said he “personally supports North Korea–US dialogue.”

“From our perspective, such dialogue would greatly help ease tensions and promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” Chung told reporters.

“As for the North Korea nuclear issue, it is a challenge that must be resolved peacefully, through diplomatic means and dialogue. Under no circumstances should it be addressed by force or through war — such an approach is unimaginable.”

Foreign Minister nominee Cho Hyun also said Tuesday that establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue will be a key priority of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s foreign policy.

"Inter-Korean issues are not something that can be addressed by a single ministry or resolved by one government alone," Cho told reporters during a doorstep interview following his nomination the previous day.

Cho underscored that “establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula — through the facilitation of US–North Korea dialogue — is one of the top priorities of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s foreign and unification policy.”

“The Foreign Ministry will work closely with the United States and other allies to ensure that there are no obstacles in advancing such efforts,” he said, responding to a question about the ministry’s role in supporting summit-level talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

"Diplomacy is about pursuing peace and prosperity," he said.

When asked whether he would visit the US as his first overseas destination after taking office, Cho said, “We need to break free from the conventional thinking that the first overseas visit must be to the US.”

“Still, I think it will naturally turn out that way. As for top priorities, there are many, and they are all interconnected,” Cho added, responding to a question about which agenda should be prioritized if he visits the US.

With regard to Lee’s decision to skip the NATO summit, Cho responded, "It was the best possible decision given the high level of uncertainty on multiple fronts.”

Cho, however, did not provide a definitive answer when asked how he would redefine ties with China and Russia amid growing challenges, including intensifying US–China competition and deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, instead taking a cautious stance.

“This is a highly sensitive issue, and it should be considered alongside other major diplomatic matters," Cho said. "Of course, that’s not to say that our relationship with China is unimportant — but rather that it must be examined and pursued within a broader context."

On South Korea–Japan ties, Cho espoused a two-track approach: advancing overall relations while addressing contentious issues — mainly historical disputes stemming from Japan’s colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945 — through diplomacy.

“While we seek to advance Korea–Japan relations beyond conventional frameworks, we should quietly address sensitive issues through discreet diplomacy.”

On the topic of urgent diplomatic tasks, Cho underscored, “It's like the movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ — it’s difficult to assign clear priorities at the moment.”

"I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility as I take on the role of foreign minister at a time when the international landscape is extremely unstable," Cho said, reflecting on his nomination.