North and South Korea commemorated the 70th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War, but the animosity between the two nations remains evident. Recent changes in Seoul under President Yoon Suk-yeol's conservative administration have highlighted the increasing divide between the countries, DW reports.
The nomination of Kim Yung-ho as the new head of the unification ministry has fueled concerns about a firmer stance towards North Korea. Kim, a conservative academic, believes South Korea should selectively review previous agreements made with North Korea and base responses on the North's behavior. He criticized North Korea's recent missile launches and indicated plans to reshape the unification ministry's role.
"North Korea has repaid our goodwill for the peace of the Korean Peninsula and the future of our people with reckless provocations and threats and has taken numerous inter-Korean agreements back to square one," he said, according to South Korea's Yonhap News.
President Yoon's approach towards North Korea is tougher than his predecessor's, emphasizing freedom and democracy for North Korean citizens. The revamped unification ministry aims to monitor human rights abuses in North Korea, analyze political trends, and devise effective responses. A potential downsizing of the ministry and merging it into the Foreign Ministry as an agency are also under consideration.
The ministry has faced a stalemate with North Korea since the Hanoi summit in 2019, with little communication or progress. President Yoon seeks reciprocity from North Korea, believing previous administrations provided assistance without receiving sufficient concessions.
"I believe in moderation and balance, but Yoon is more conservative and has made it clear that he is open to talks if the North comes in good faith, but if not, then he is not going to beg for talks. It really all does depend on the North," - said Kim Sang-woo a member of the board of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation.
The relationship between North and South Korea has been deteriorating, and President Yoon's conservative approach may further impact diplomatic prospects. Some experts call for moderation and balance, while others believe the stance towards North Korea should depend on their actions. The future of inter-Korean relations remains uncertain, with much hinging on North Korea's approach and potential dialogue with the South.
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