hankyoreh

The presidential transition team is said to be considering doing away with the Unification Ministry and putting its operations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The worries this causes are one thing, but it also makes you question the true nature of Lee Myung-bak’s administration. Does it not know the difference between policy on foreign affairs and reunification, or does it want to exclude reunification from its list of goals for the nation?

Article 4 of the Constitution says, “The Republic of Korea shall seek unification and shall formulate and carry out a policy of peaceful unification based on the principles of freedom and democracy.” It was in the spirit of the Constitution that the Unification Ministry was created in 1969, since when North and South began trying to work together on a reunified Korea. The deepening social and cultural exchange, easing military tension, forming an economic community, healing the wounds of Division, and forming a foundation for reunification are what it has all been about. Policies on each of these are primarily defined by the particularities of the inter-Korean relationship and determination to see reunification through. It is something distinctly different from foreign affairs, where the national interest is always the highest priority. Considering abolishing the Unification Ministry under the current circumstances is something that ignores the fact we are a divided nation and flies in the face of reunification.

Watching the presidential transition team and its activities, you see no small number of instances in which its members are making half-baked comments meant to show how different Lee’s administration is going to be from that of current President Roh Moo-hyun. That is something that should never happen in policy towards North Korea, and regarding issues of foreign affairs and security. It hurts continuity and harms the national interest, and it even has the potential to corner the new administration and give it less room to maneuver with. You have to assume that just talking about abolishing or downsizing the Unification Ministry is already having a negative influence on inter-Korean relations. The same is true of appearances being dispensed by the transition team that it wants to put the brakes on implementing the joint declaration from the North-South summit in Pyongyang last October.

The North Korea policy of President-elect Lee and his transition team has yet to be assembled into a working framework. Instead of hastily shaking up the existing framework, now is the time when it should be dutifully figuring out what the current situation is and building a strong basic foundation for moving ahead. Relations with the North are another area where Lee could put his pragmatism to good use. We would hope that Lee and the committee make clear their desire to see unification happen, in terms of policy and government organization.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]