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South Korean President Moon Jae-in gives a special addressing marking his third year in office at the Blue House on May 10. (Blue House photo pool)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s special address on May 10, which marked the third anniversary of him taking office, is drawing attention for its inclusion of plans to adopt a “human security” framework to break through the current deadlock in inter-Korean relations. The idea appears to represent an extension of his proposal last month to cooperate with North Korea on preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus as the two sides celebrated the second anniversary of their Panmunjom Declaration on Apr. 27, 2018.

“Human security” is a security concept that involves going beyond the framework of traditional military security and guarding against military threats to incorporate responses to potential threats to safety in all areas of life, including natural disasters, disease, and environmental crises.

“Security today has expanded from the traditional military security into the realm of human security, and all countries must join forces in solidarity and cooperation if we are to respond,” Moon declared in his address that day.

“I also hope to see South and North cooperating on human security so that we become a single community of life and a community of peace,” he added.

As an example of inter-Korean cooperation rooted in human security, he mentioned the area of joint inter-Korean disease prevention, including efforts related to the coronavirus, malaria, and African swine fever.

Additionally, he stressed that previous proposals concerning the linkage of inter-Korean railways, individual tourist visits, conversion of the DMZ into an international peace zone, reunions among divided family members, visits home by displaced persons, and the joint exhumation of human remains were all “still valid” and urged North Korea to respond favorably.

A Blue House official explained, “There’s a strong sense that if Moon can broaden inter-Korean cooperation through the human security framework, we can break free from UN Security Council sanctions, which would allow the two sides to pursue a much broader scope of cooperative projects and proceed toward establishing a community of life and peace.”

The key factor will be how favorably Pyongyang responds. As if to acknowledge this, Moon said, “I anticipate that [North Korea] will have a number of difficulties because of the coronavirus situation.”

“I plan to continue having dialogue and working to persuade North Korea to accept our proposal as the coronavirus situation abates,” he added.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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