Yoon unveils vision for ‘freedom-based unification,’ proposes dialogue with N. Korea

President Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled a vision for unification with North Korea on Thursday, pledging to expand outside information in the reclusive nation and proposing an official dialogue channel that can “take up any issue.”

Yoon made the remark in an address marking Liberation Day, which celebrates the 1945 end of Japan’s colonial rule, saying, “Complete liberation remains an unfinished task” as the Korean Peninsula still remains divided.

“The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North, where people are deprived of freedom and suffer from poverty and starvation,” Yoon said. “Only when a unified free and democratic nation rightfully owned by the people is established across the entire Korean Peninsula will we finally have complete liberation.”

Yoon laid out three key tasks for unification: defending freedom in South Korea from fake news and other destabilizing elements, bringing about changes in North Korea through human rights improvements and outside information, and strengthening cooperation with the international community.

He also proposed “a working group” between the two Koreas to discuss ways to ease tension, resume economic cooperation and increase exchanges.

“This body could take up any issue, ranging from relieving tensions to economic cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and disaster and climate-change responses,” he said. “We will also be able to discuss pending humanitarian issues, such as separated families and South Korean prisoners of war, abductees and detainees still kept in the North.”

Yoon urged the North to respond to the proposal, saying dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations.

Among the plans outlined was the expansion of North Koreans’ “right of access to information” to help awaken the outside world.

“Testimonials from numerous North Korean defectors show that our radio and TV broadcasts helped make them aware of the false propaganda and instigations emanating from the North Korean regime,” Yoon said.

“If more North Koreans come to recognize that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification,” he said, referring to South Korea’s official name.

He reiterated his commitment to the “audacious initiative” unveiled two years ago, which calls for offering massive assistance to help the impoverished North rebuild its economy in return for denuclearization steps.

“We will begin political and economic cooperation the moment North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearization,” he said.

Nuclear negotiations between the North and the United States have remained stalled since the 2019 Hanoi summit between then U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended without a deal.

Yoon’s dialogue proposal comes amid heightened tensions following North Korea’s sending of trash-carrying balloons across the border in a tit-for-tat move against South Korean civic groups’ sending balloons carrying propaganda leaflets criticizing North Korean leader.

In June, South Korea resumed propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts near the border with North Korea for the first time since January 2016.

The presidential office said it will seek ways to inform North Korean people in various ways with “more colorful and interesting content” without too much emphasis on ideological and political aspects.

“While loudspeakers and propaganda leaflets may have some effect, we do not intend to overly rely on such analog methods, especially when they heighten inter-Korean tensions,” a senior presidential official told reporters. “As North Korea is already undergoing a process of digitalization, we believe there are multiple ways for North Korean residents to access the outside world.”

Yoon said the South will establish a North Korea Freedom and Human Rights Fund to actively support nongovernmental activities that promote freedom and human rights in the country while continuing to try to provide humanitarian aid to the North.

“We offered relief supplies for flood victims in North Korea, making clear that our government has no intention of turning a blind eye to the North Korean people’s suffering,” he said. “Even though the North Korean regime rejected our offer yet again, we will never stop making offers of humanitarian aid.”

South Korea’s Red Cross has offered to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea over damage from the recent downpours in its northern border areas, but Kim Jong-un pledged to take care of flood victims without outside help.

Prospects of inter-Korean talks remain dim as Kim has called South Korea “an invariable principal enemy” and signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty with Russia in June, which includes a mutual defense clause.