South Korea is shifting its policy toward North Korea by prioritizing peace and dialogue over immediate denuclearization, while maintaining its long-term objective of achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on Thursday.
The policy marks a departure from Seoul’s previous “denuclearisation first” approach, which Chung said had failed to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
‘Peace First’ Strategy
“The ultimate goal of denuclearisation has not been abandoned, but denuclearisation first has,” Chung said during a ministry briefing.
Instead of demanding immediate denuclearization, Seoul now plans to first seek a freeze on North Korea’s nuclear activities, arguing that continued diplomatic deadlock only allows Pyongyang to expand its nuclear capabilities.
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According to Chung, North Korea continues operating uranium-enrichment centrifuges and a plutonium-producing reactor at Yongbyon, while steadily increasing its capacity to manufacture nuclear warheads.
Dialogue Over Deadlock
Chung said insisting on denuclearization as a precondition for talks had effectively blocked dialogue for the past seven years.
“If denuclearisation first is placed at the entrance to dialogue, the reality is that dialogue cannot begin,” he said.
The government has therefore reframed its objective as pursuing a peaceful process toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
North Korea Rejects Outreach
Despite President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to reduce tensions—including suspending anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts and restricting propaganda leaflet campaigns—North Korea has shown little interest in resuming talks.
Pyongyang has rejected Seoul’s proposals and accused Lee’s government of maintaining a confrontational policy through its close alliance with the United States.
Hope for Renewed Diplomacy
Chung said there remains a “strategic demand” for renewed negotiations in both Washington and Pyongyang.
He suggested that upcoming meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could create opportunities for diplomacy and urged South Korea to intensify its diplomatic efforts ahead of any talks.
Rethinking Inter Korean Relations
The policy shift comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared in late 2023 that North and South Korea should be regarded as two separate hostile states rather than partners pursuing eventual reunification.
Chung has argued that Seoul should pragmatically accept this reality by pursuing what he describes as a “peaceful two-state” relationship as a transitional step toward eventual unification.
He has also proposed referring to North Korea as “Choson,” a shortened version of its official name, instead of the traditional South Korean terminology.
Chung said experts are reviewing the proposal but acknowledged that broader public discussion would be needed before any official change is made.
With information from Reuters.
