The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    INTERVIEWKorean adoptee in Germany reunites with birth family after 42 years

  • 3

    Korea to start mass production of KF-21 in 2024

  • 5

    Zoo shares sad story of what caused Sero the zebra to escape

  • 7

    Will exempting foreign nannies from minimum wage boost Korea's birth rate?

  • 9

    Sandstorm from China forecast to push up fine dust levels in Korea

  • 11

    Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour

  • 13

    Will Apple Pay launch boost local iPhone sales?

  • 15

    INTERVIEWExpert pitches Laotian rural reform to solve NK's chronic food shortages

  • 17

    INTERVIEWForbes-listed entrepreneur pursues partnerships with Samsung, LG, SK to help Ukraine

  • 19

    Long viewed as an outsider, conceptual artist grabs global spotlight in his twilight years

  • 2

    Zebra captured after escaping from Seoul zoo

  • 4

    Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol'

  • 6

    Yoo Yeon-seok threatens to sue people spreading accusations about him

  • 8

    Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3

  • 10

    Daughter of North Korean dictator seen wearing $1,900 Dior jacket

  • 12

    Retailers rush to adopt Apple Pay system

  • 14

    INTERVIEW'Welcome to world of art therapy'

  • 16

    Lee Som, Ahn Jae-hong to play married couple in Tving's new series

  • 18

    Indonesian students advise Korean bank on entering Indonesian market

  • 20

    US Fed lifts key interest rate amid banking sector fears

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
North Korea
Sat, March 25, 2023 | 19:29
Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean Peninsula
Posted : 2023-01-27 18:08
Updated : 2023-01-31 13:23
Jung Min-ho
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, waves as he departs Dong Dang railway station in Dong Dang, a Vietnamese border town, in this March 2, 2019, file photo. The Ministry of Unification said Friday that it will begin various projects this year with Vietnam's authorities to renew peace efforts for the Korean Peninsula. AP-Yonhap
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, waves as he departs Dong Dang railway station in Dong Dang, a Vietnamese border town, in this March 2, 2019, file photo. The Ministry of Unification said Friday that it will begin various projects this year with Vietnam's authorities to renew peace efforts for the Korean Peninsula. AP-Yonhap

Ministry of Unification plans projects with Vietnam, key partner of both Koreas

By Jung Min-ho

After more than three years of no progress on the issue of peace for the Korean Peninsula, Seoul is now exploring ways to renew efforts in the country where it came to a sudden halt ― Vietnam.

In an effort to create something meaningful after the fruitless 2019 summit between Washington and Pyongyang in Hanoi, the Ministry of Unification will begin various projects this year with the authorities in Vietnam, such as building up an archive of how the Southeast Asian nation became an economic success story through its radical reforms.

According to a written plan Unification Minister Kwon Young-se submitted to President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, the ministry also seeks to set up a joint advisory group with Vietnam and strengthen ties with experts and scholars in that country.

Speaking to reporters the previous day, a high-ranking official at the ministry said authorities in Vietnam agreed to cooperate for the noteworthy cause and meet their South Korean counterparts to discuss possible joint projects.

"As we have learned lessons from German reunification over the past 30 years, North Korea took their lessons from Vietnam's example. We need to study what they study to learn what the North has learned so as to better comprehend its views," the official said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, waves as he departs Dong Dang railway station in Dong Dang, a Vietnamese border town, in this March 2, 2019, file photo. The Ministry of Unification said Friday that it will begin various projects this year with Vietnam's authorities to renew peace efforts for the Korean Peninsula. AP-Yonhap
Unification Minister Kwon Young-se speaks during a press conference at the government complex in Seoul, Friday, following his presentation to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yonhap

Citing Vietnam's decision to introduce "Doi Moi," the economic reforms initiated in 1986 to create a "socialist-oriented market economy," the official also mentioned the possibility that North Korea might consider emulating the same path eventually.

In fact, Vietnam has much know-how to share with North Korea. It fought a war with the U.S. for 20 years before its reunification in 1975 and suffered from harsh economic sanctions (for occupying Cambodia) by many countries afterward. However, since adopting a strategy of integrating itself into the world's free-market economic system, Vietnam has become richer and more stable. In the process, it also restored relations with the U.S. while maintaining friendly ties with North Korea and a one-party system.

There were signs that North Korea was willing to learn from its "communist comrade" state. In 2018, North Korea's then-Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho visited Vietnam to study its reforms. It was also reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's delegation informed Vietnam's government that he was interested in visiting a Samsung factory in the country ahead of his summit with then-U.S. President Donald Trump.

Yoon asked the ministry to stay optimistic and be prepared for the possibility of Korea's unification, which many now believe is improbable.

"The opportunity for unification could come suddenly and it would be achievable only if we were prepared," Yoon said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, waves as he departs Dong Dang railway station in Dong Dang, a Vietnamese border town, in this March 2, 2019, file photo. The Ministry of Unification said Friday that it will begin various projects this year with Vietnam's authorities to renew peace efforts for the Korean Peninsula. AP-Yonhap
A man reads a copy of the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's official newspaper, on a bus in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this Jan. 11, 2021, file photo. The Ministry of Unification plans to give the public better access to North Korean media. AFP-Yonhap

South Korean public to get better access to one of North Korea's official newspapers

In another major project for 2023, the unification ministry said it plans to give the public better access to North Korean media.

The ministry will launch a pilot project to make Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of Pyongyang's Central Committee of the Workers' Party, more accessible to people here.

Reading the papers or watching TV content from the North is legally permissible ― but only in government-designated places. Few know where they are located and it is difficult to get up-to-date information. Therefore, most of those interested in understanding North Korea get such content from overseas-based websites or by using a VPN, which could be considered unlawful under the National Security Law.

Speaking to The Korea Times, a ministry official said the government ultimately aims to give the public online access to Rodong Sinmun and other North Korean media content. But doing so would take longer than a year, given many legal issues and concerns.

However, he said, lifting the decades-old ban on public access to such content would lead to a positive change in North Korea, as the informed and educated readers of the South could pressure North Korean reporters when they make or report illogical or foolish "facts."



Emailmj6c2@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Zoo shares sad story of what caused Sero the zebra to escape Zoo shares sad story of what caused Sero the zebra to escape
2Burnout: Cardiothoracic surgery residents work 102 hours a week Burnout: Cardiothoracic surgery residents work 102 hours a week
3Churches, Seoul gov't unite to fight low birthrate Churches, Seoul gov't unite to fight low birthrate
4North Korea will pay price for reckless provocations, warns Yoon North Korea will pay price for reckless provocations, warns Yoon
5Genesis launches 2023 G90 sedan Genesis launches 2023 G90 sedan
6Second daughter of Daesang chairman promoted to vice president Second daughter of Daesang chairman promoted to vice president
7What's next for Do Kwon? What's next for Do Kwon?
8More companies adopt electronic voting amid increase in shareholder activism More companies adopt electronic voting amid increase in shareholder activism
9Samsung Display strike looms due to deadlocked wage negotiations Samsung Display strike looms due to deadlocked wage negotiations
10Over 70% of firms unwilling to embrace longer workweek Over 70% of firms unwilling to embrace longer workweek
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol' Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol'
2Yoo Yeon-seok threatens to sue people spreading accusations about him Yoo Yeon-seok threatens to sue people spreading accusations about him
3Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3 Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3
4Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour
5Lee Som, Ahn Jae-hong to play married couple in Tving's new series Lee Som, Ahn Jae-hong to play married couple in Tving's new series
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group