Unification minister reaffirms initiative to end hostility, pursue dialogue with N. Korea

▲ Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee in August 2025. (Yonhap)

unification ministry-N Korea

Unification minister reaffirms initiative to end hostility, pursue dialogue with N. Korea

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Tuesday reaffirmed the Lee Jae Myung administration's initiative to end hostility and pursue dialogue with North Korea, vowing to maintain a consistent approach in seeking peace.

Chung made the remarks during a parliamentary audit of the ministry, as Lee unveiled the "END" initiative to promote peace with the North -- "exchange," "normalization" and "denuclearization" -- during his address at the U.N. General Assembly last month.

"The government will make consistent efforts to ease tensions and recover trust," Chung told the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.

The minister reaffirmed the "END" initiative, saying the ministry's efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula will be based on the vision.

The initiative calls for promoting exchanges with North Korea, normalizing inter-Korean ties and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a vision serving Lee's policy of easing military tensions and building peace on the peninsula.

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