Jeong Dong-young, the Minister of Unification, stated on October 7 that independent sanctions against North Korea for its illegal cyber activities are incompatible with a policy of peaceful coexistence. He also expressed that pursuing cyber sanctions as a response to the recent landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is inappropriate.
During a National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Unification held at the North-South Dialogue Headquarters in Jongno, Seoul, Jeong responded to a question from An Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, regarding the ministry's response to North Korean cyber hacking. Jeong said, "The Ministry of Unification fundamentally believes that sanctions are not a solution."
When An pointed out that North Korea's cyber hacking cannot be ignored, Jeong replied, "It is the Ministry's judgment that cyber sanctions are not appropriate as a response to the landmine explosion incident." He added that the issue of North Korean cyber hacking is being reviewed at the National Security Council (NSC) level, and the government is working with the international community to prevent such crimes.
In response to a comment from Park Chung-kwon, a member of the People Power Party, who suggested that the landmine explosion incident should be classified as a provocation by North Korea, Jeong stated, "The intent has not yet been definitively announced," and emphasized that the incident is currently classified as a landmine explosion. He expressed support for the military's decision to proceed with landmine removal operations, calling it an appropriate response.
When asked by independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon about the government's position on North Korea's incursion 10 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), Jeong agreed. However, he reiterated the importance of confirming the baseline due to differences in recognition of the MDL between the two Koreas and the United Nations Command.
In response to a question from Democratic Party lawmaker Cha Ji-ho, Jeong expressed concern that similar incidents could recur due to the loss of MDL markers and differences in position recognition between the two Koreas. He stated, "I hope this serves as an opportunity to start thinking about how to transform this landmine area into a peaceful zone." He also expressed the need for efforts to enable both Koreas to participate in the international treaty banning anti-personnel mines.
In response to a proposal from Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Jae-gang to establish a museum to preserve the history of inter-Korean exchanges at the Korea Peninsula Peace Coexistence Center, Jeong replied, "We will prepare in that direction." He explained that the current government's philosophy is that human rights issues should not be used as a means of aggression, in reference to the previous administration's initiative to establish a human rights center.
Meanwhile, during the audit, the Ministry of Unification announced plans to develop a comprehensive framework for a 'Korean Peninsula Peace System' that encompasses the end of war, normalization of relations, tension reduction, and joint growth. This plan will include transitioning the declaration of the end of the war and the armistice agreement into a peace agreement, establishing diplomatic relations between North Korea and the U.S. and Japan, and halting the enhancement of North Korea's nuclear capabilities.
The ministry also plans to revise the enforcement ordinance to specify the use of the inter-Korean cooperation fund to support research on inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, private sector activities, international cooperation, and projects near the DMZ. Four major peace exchange projects, including health and medical cooperation with the Kangdong District Hospital in Pyongyang, peace tourism in Wonsan-Galma, high-speed rail between Seoul and Beijing, and the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI) cooperative plan, will also be further detailed.
In border areas, the ministry aims to designate around four peace economic zones by 2026-2027. The restoration project for the 9.3 km section of the Gyeongwon Line from Baengma Ridge to the southern limit line, which has been suspended for ten years, is set to begin construction in 2027 after preparing for environmental impact reassessment and design changes this year, with a target completion date of late 2029.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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