(LEAD) Ex-U.N. chief Ban voices need to 'persuade' China Koreas' unification serves its interests

▲ Participants in the Global Korea Forum (GKF), a global forum hosted by the unification ministry and designed to garner international support for South Korea's bid for peaceful unification, pose for a photo before the forum on Sept. 3, 2024. (Yonhap)

▲ Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks during the Global Korea Forum (GKF), an inaugural event aimed at garnering international support for the unification of the two Koreas, held in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2024. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) unification ministry-forum

(LEAD) Ex-U.N. chief Ban voices need to 'persuade' China Koreas' unification serves its interests

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout; CHANGES photos)

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday South Korea needs to continuously "persuade" China to understand that the two Koreas' unification will not only contribute to global peace but also serve its own interests.

Ban made the remarks during the Global Korea Forum (GKF), a global forum hosted by the unification ministry and designed to garner international support for South Korea's bid for peaceful unification.

"It is strategically vital to convince China and Japan that unification will significantly contribute to global peace and will be beneficial for them as well," Ban said in his keynote speech.

The former diplomat also emphasized the need for South Korean officials to persuade the Chinese government that the South Korea-U.S. alliance is not adversarial and will ultimately benefit peace and stability in the region.

"Going forward, we must present a future vision for the South Korea-U.S. alliance that encompasses diplomacy, military cooperation, and the values of liberal democracy," he added.

The forum aligns with a new unification doctrine announced by President Yoon Suk Yeol last month, which focuses on expanding North Koreans' access to external information and proposes establishing an official dialogue channel between the two Koreas to discuss various issues.

Meanwhile, Ri Il-gyu, a former counselor of political affairs at the North Korean Embassy in Cuba, suggested that leveraging China's position could be beneficial for South Korea, especially since China seems "uncomfortable" with the close military ties between North Korea and Russia.

"When it comes to Russia, we must persistently persuade them on who would be a more realistic partner between South Korea and North Korea," Ri said.

Ri, a seasoned North Korean diplomat known for his role in overseeing Cuban affairs, defected to South Korea with his family in November of last year.

He also said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's "war on corruption" has only led to more bribes becoming a survival tactic among high-ranking North Korean officials.

On North Korea's silence about Seoul's unification doctrine, Ri said the North probably views the "complete disregard" as the best option, given that its leader has focused on erasing references to unification.

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