Vice unification minister stresses need to 'disentangle' fractured inter-Korean ties
Kim made the remarks in his inauguration speech, as he took office as the first vice unification minister under President Lee Jae Myung, who has pledged to ease military tensions and pursue dialogue with North Korea to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.
"Starting from small things, like opening communication lines between the South and the North, the raveled inter-Korean relations should be disentangled," Kim noted. "Inter-Korean trust should be build piece by piece, without haste even though there is a long way to go."
As inter-Korean ties drastically soured under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration, North Korea has shut down communication with South Korea since April 2023. South Korea continues to place daily calls to the North through an inter-Korean liaison communication line and a military hotline, but the calls have gone unanswered ever since.
"Peace on the Korean Peninsula has reached a dead end worse than we have ever imagined," Kim said, referring to the prolonged lack of inter-Korean communication and Pyongyang's ongoing efforts to distance itself from Seoul.
The vice minister emphasized Lee's remarks that "peace is better than war, however expensive it is," reiterating the president's pledge to build peace on the peninsula through dialogue and cooperation with North Korea. (Yonhap)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
an hour ago
- Korea Herald
Russia's Duma speaker meets N. Korea's Kim, conveys Putin's greetings: report
The chief of Russia's parliamentary lower house met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang and conveyed greetings from Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Russian media report said Friday. The meeting between Kim and Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, took place the previous day during his visit to Pyongyang for the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese occupation, TASS reported, citing a Russian parliamentary news release. "Volodin congratulated the North Korean leadership and people on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese colonial rule on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin at a solemn meeting on the occasion of the public holiday," TASS said. Volodin also expressed gratitude to Kim for the support the North Korea people provided fighting on the Kursk frontline region in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to the report. The Russian lawmaker is visiting North Korea from Thursday to Friday with a parliamentary delegation to mark the 80th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, which falls on Friday. On Thursday, he also met with Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the North's parliamentary standing committee, and discussed interparliamentary interaction between the countries, TASS said. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
an hour ago
- Korea Herald
N. Korea's Kim, in letter to Putin, says bilateral ties reach 'full bloom'
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told Russian President Vladimir Putin that their bilateral relations have reached "full bloom" and will advance more solidly in the future, according to the North's state media on Friday. Kim's letter to Putin was released by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency as the country marks the 80th anniversary of its liberation of Japanese colonial rule. Russian delegations, including Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's parliamentary lower house, the State Duma, are currently visiting North Korea for the celebration. "The 80-year-long historic, traditional and blood-forged solidarity between North Korea and Russia is the foundation that has elevated the bilateral friendship to the most solid comradery-- the comprehensive strategic partnership," Kim said in the letter. "The great friendship and solidarity between the peoples of our two countries, who are struggling shoulder to shoulder to build future-oriented bilateral relations and achieve a common goal, will continue and advance more solidly," the North Korean leader noted. The letter comes as North Korea uses the liberation anniversary to further solidify its already close alignment with Russia. Soviet troops advanced into northern areas of the Korean Peninsula in August 1945, helping end 35 years of Japanese colonial rule and disarm Japanese forces. On the anniversary, North Korea typically highlights its ties with Russia, in recognition of Moscow's role in the country's liberation. In the letter, Kim expressed gratitude to Putin for sending a congratulatory message for the anniversary, highlighting the sacrifices and achievements of Soviet forces in the country's liberation. Kim also wished Putin and the Russian military "victory and glory," saying he is confident that the country will succeed in safeguarding its dignity and honor and achieving prosperity. (Yonhap)
![[Lee Byung-jong] Is Lee-Trump bromance possible?](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F08%2F14%2Fnews-p.v1.20250814.de9b5effcd2440afb6c47437e0126b08_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Korea Herald
5 hours ago
- Korea Herald
[Lee Byung-jong] Is Lee-Trump bromance possible?
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, now disgraced and awaiting trial for his ill-fated martial law declaration and other charges, may still be remembered in the United States for one surprisingly warm gesture. During his 2023 state visit to the White House, Yoon famously broke into a rendition of "American Pie," the beloved US pop classic. He was no great vocalist, but the effortless way he delivered the English lyrics showed clear preparation. The performance went viral in the US, and for many Americans, it became a quirky but genuine symbol of Yoon's effort to connect. Now, with just days to go before his own crucial meeting with US President Donald Trump, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung appears to be preparing in his own way -- by practicing his golf swing. Given Trump's well-documented love of the game, Lee seems to be betting that time on the fairway could help establish rapport. The strategy is hardly unprecedented: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe famously used golf to develop a strong personal relationship with Trump during his first term, a dynamic that many believe smoothed Tokyo-Washington relations. Lee may well be hoping to replicate that playbook. But for Lee, good chemistry with Trump would mean more than just pleasant rounds of golf. The upcoming summit will be a defining moment for his presidency and for South Korea's place in the world. On the economic front, the stakes could not be higher. Washington recently announced a 15 percent tariff on Korean exports to the US, tied to conditions that Seoul invest $350 billion in the American economy and purchase $100 billion worth of US energy. The details remain fluid. Trump has also signaled plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on semiconductor imports — a measure that could devastate Korea's flagship industry — though it is not yet clear whether Korean firms might win exemptions. Much of this will be settled in person, and the results will directly affect how much Korean companies can sell in their largest overseas market. Security concerns are equally pressing. The Seoul-Washington alliance, now 72 years old, faces a transformed geopolitical landscape. China's rise, North Korea's growing hostility and deepening Pyongyang-Moscow military ties all demand a strategic rethink. The alliance must expand its scope from deterring North Korean aggression to countering China's military presence in the wider region — an adjustment that would reshape the roles and capacities of both US and Korean forces. Another contentious topic will be defense cost-sharing: Trump has repeatedly demanded steep increases to the roughly 1.5 trillion won ($1.08 billion) South Korea currently pays to host 28,000 American troops. While these decisions will ultimately be driven by national interests and cold calculations, Trump's track record makes clear that personal rapport plays an outsized role in his foreign policy. Leaders he likes — Abe, and even Kim Jong-un — often find negotiations more fruitful. Those who lose his favor, such as former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, can face protracted and bruising disputes. In that regard, Lee begins at a disadvantage. His earlier political career included sharp critiques of US foreign policy. He once described the US as an 'occupying force' responsible for Korea's post-liberation division, and during a meeting with a visiting US senator, he pointedly cited the 1905 Taft-Katsura Agreement as a Washington-endorsed prelude to Japanese colonization of Korea. The remark drew accusations of diplomatic impropriety. Since taking office, however, Lee has worked to shed his perceived anti-American image. He has repeatedly emphasized the centrality of the Seoul-Washington alliance to South Korea's security and, compared with some liberal predecessors — especially former President Moon Jae-in — he has sought closer ties with the US while maintaining greater distance from China. Relations with Japan, which had improved under Yoon after plunging to historic lows under Moon, have also been a priority for Lee to sustain. This shift might reflect his embrace of alliances and internationalism, but some of Lee's closest political allies carry their own history of anti-American activism. His first prime minister, Kim Min-seok, was once convicted for orchestrating a 1985 sit-in at the US cultural center in Seoul, wrongly believing the US had condoned the 1980 Gwangju crackdown. Ruling Democratic Party Chair Jung Chung-rae, a trusted Lee confidant, served four years in prison for his role in a 1989 raid on the US ambassador's residence in Seoul. Today, both men, like Lee, publicly affirm their commitment to the alliance, recognizing the decisive role the US plays in South Korea's trade and security. But their pasts may still color perceptions in Washington, particularly with a president like Trump, who often relies on instinctive judgments of personal loyalty. For Lee, then, the meeting will be about more than policy; it will be about optics, trust and chemistry. Trump is transactional, but also intensely personal. If he feels camaraderie with Lee, negotiations on tariffs, defense spending and military strategy could move more smoothly. If not, Korea may find itself facing tougher demands and fewer concessions.
