“Our Efforts for National Unification Cannot Stop”
“Drastic Change in North Korea May Be Difficult but Trust between the Two Koreas Should be Built by Abiding by Principles”
『Joint Meeting of Central and Executive Committees of NUAC and Dialogue with the President』, Nov. 25
400 members of the Central and Executive Committee of the National Unification Advisory Council including Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson, had “Dialogue with the President” on Nov. 25 at the Blue House’s guesthouse and exchanged views on the peaceful unification policy of the government.
< President Park Delivering Words of Encouragement >
Chairperson of NUAC, President Park Geun-hye said, “We cannot stop our efforts for national unification even though North Korea acts in a way that we cannot trust. We cannot expect a significant change in North Korea immediately but we should build up trust one by one with North Korea keeping the principle.”
She reiterated that North Korea insists on a policy line of advancing military and economic power in parallel, which cannot be realized considering the situation in the North, rather than changing in a way that the international societies want. Furthermore, the North does not keep the promises made narrowly between South and North Korea. She gave some examples like the foundered reunion of separated families and the three issues of Gaesung Industrial Complex.
President Welcomes NUAC Members
She added that if South and North Korea would endeavor to keep small promises and start little cooperation that can be implemented practically, it will be the ground of building mutual trust between the two Koreas. If the South and North would follow such procedures and North Korea could be denuclearized, we can develop various exchanges and cooperation with the North and it will be the short cut to establishing the peaceful unification of Korean Peninsula.
She continued, “In order to make North Korea one of the responsible members of international societies, it’s important for us to formulate environments with the help of international societies so that the North has no option but being a responsible member of international societies. Dialogue for dialogue’s own sake is meaningless and we will pour all the diplomatic efforts for the North to learn the international norm of keeping promises without fail.”
President Park said that the national unification policy should be promoted under the band of nationwide sympathy and unification cannot be achieved without the trust and support of the people. In this regard, she requested that NUAC play the roles of communicating with people for national unification and expressed her hope that the 16th NUAC Central and Executive members would open an era of peaceful unification of Korea.
Recommendation for Policies
She reminded that negative viewpoints on national unification is increasing in our society as the history of division of the Korean Peninsula has lasted for a long time and the younger generations lack interest in national unification. However, we should not look on with folded arms as it is natural change of an era. We need to suggest a realistic vision of national unification to the people.
Roles of North Korean refugees are very important on the way of going to a peaceful unification. Helping them taking the risk of life for freedom and human rights to settle down in our society successfully is important not only in the aspect of humanitarianism but also for national unification.
President Park requested that the Council members make various efforts for North Korean refugees, especially young refugees, and help them to settle down successfully in our society to grow the proud people of the Republic of Korea and be stepping stones for the unified era. 1:1 sisterhood ties between the members and the young refugees could be one of the possible ways.
NUAC reported the following to the President: ▲ Status of Korean Peninsula Trust-Building Process and 2014 Policy ▲ Exchange and Cooperation between South and North for Korean Peninsula Trust-Building Process ▲ International Cooperation for Korean Peninsula Trust-Building Process ▲ Recommendation on the Policy of Building People’s Consciousness of unification and Ground for Peaceful Unification.
Before the Dialogue with President, Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of NUAC, held the “2013 Joint Meeting of Central and Executive Committees” at the Grand Hilton Hotel in Hongeun-dong, Seoul.
Opening Ceremony of Joint Central and Executive Committees
Hyun said in his opening speech that peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula may seem difficult and far away at the moment but it is the way we should go. He quoted President’s Park’s administrative policy speech made at the National Assembly last Dec. 18 and asked the Central and Executive Committee Members to go the way of unification together.
Opening Speech by Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of NUAC
He emphasized that our discussion about national unification should be broadened to cover not only simple management of division but also developing peaceful unification more positively with our strong will and confidence in the national unification in order to support the government and succeed in the policy concerned.
He continued, ”There’s no reason we cannot achieve national unification under such favorable conditions as now. But it depends on our strong will and confidence to make our country unified.”
He finished his opening speech by saying that, “I hope that all the members of the 16th NUAC will be remembered for your great contribution to achieve national unification during your term even though the march towards unification is hard and long.”
Park Chan-bong, Secretary General of NUAC, reported the “Status on Promoting 2013 Main Business” and said, “We focused on maintaining and rearranging the business of the 16th NUAC after the Council was launched. But now as the systems are well stabilized, our main energy is shifting to the unification movement itself.”
Park Chan-bong, Secretary General of NUAC Reports 2013 Business
Secretary General Park said, “We should prepare for national unification as an issue of today and NUAC should play the role of leading discussions on national unification across the country by having close communication with the people. In particular, the roles and responsibilities of the central and executive committee members are very important.”
Furthermore, he reported to the Committee members that Secretariat has studied building mobile-based communication channels among 20,000 members of NUAC so as to share the same information on one issue and provide it immediately for them in order to have sense of unity.
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kim Kyu-hyun reported on “Results of Promoting Diplomatic Policy” to the members.
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kim Kyu-hyun
Finally the joint meeting deliberated and decided on a recommendation on unification policy to the President, which was made during the “Dialogue with the Chairperson,” which is held in the afternoon on the same day.
Recommendations for Unification Policy-Park Hyung-jung Committee Members
Recommendations for Unification Policy-Kim Byung-cheol Committee Members
Recommendations for Unification Policy-Hong Kyung-hee Committee Members
Meanwhile, the 4th quarter Standing Committee was held at 10 a.m. and the Executive Committee was held at 3 p.m. after the “Dialogue with Chairperson.” The Standing Committee deliberated the recommendations for unification policies with the President and the Executive Committee deliberated and decided on the 2014 Business Promotion Plan.
Executive Committee
Standing Committee
