The Defense Ministry stated that its position remains unchanged regarding North Korea, asserting that the "North Korean regime and military are our adversaries." This response came amid reports suggesting that the phrase "North Korean regime is our enemy" may be omitted from the upcoming 2026 Defense White Paper, set to be published by the end of this year.
On June 18, the Defense Ministry clarified, "Reports indicating that we are considering not designating North Korea as an enemy are not true." This statement follows a media report claiming that while the 2022 Defense White Paper, published under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, labeled the North Korean military and regime as adversaries, the new white paper might not include such a designation.
The Defense White Paper outlines the government's defense policy and is published biennially. The most recent edition, the 2022 Defense White Paper, was released in early 2023, while the 2024 edition was not published due to the aftermath of the December 3 emergency martial law situation.
Expressions designating North Korea as an enemy or primary enemy serve as a barometer of the government's security stance toward the North. Typically, conservative administrations include such language, while progressive ones tend to omit it.
The concept of North Korea as a primary enemy was first included in the 1995 Defense White Paper, following the "Seoul will be a sea of fire" remarks, and was maintained until 2000. However, during the administration of Roh Moo-hyun, the terminology shifted to expressions like "direct military threat" starting with the 2004 Defense White Paper.
The phrase "North Korean regime and military are adversaries" reemerged in the 2010 Defense White Paper, published after the sinking of the Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, and remained until the Moon Jae-in administration, which removed explicit references to North Korea as an enemy.
The expression was revived in the 2022 Defense White Paper under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration after a six-year absence.
However, the Unification Ministry has expressed differing views on designating the North Korean regime and military as adversaries. Officials indicated that they would recommend changes to the language during the Defense White Paper's drafting process.
An official from the Unification Ministry stated during a press briefing at the Government Complex in Seoul, "Pursuing peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is a firm policy goal of the Lee Jae-myung administration. We cannot seek peaceful coexistence with an adversary while designating North Korea as the primary enemy."
The official further explained that during the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations, North Korea was not explicitly labeled as a primary enemy or adversary, adding, "The expressions in the Defense White Paper should be reviewed in this context, which reflects the Unification Ministry's stance."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.