Discord at helm of North policy

The Ministry of Unification has taken the extraordinary step of refusing to participate in a follow-up consultative body established after the recent Korea-U.S. summit, triggering an open clash with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While the foreign ministry has proceeded with regular consultations with the U.S. State Department, the unification ministry has declared that it will handle North Korea-related issues directly with Washington, effectively sidelining its counterpart. This unprecedented discord has once again exposed the long-standing rift between the so-called “autonomy-minded” and “alliance-first” camps within the South Korean government. More troubling still is the apparent absence of effective coordination from the presidential office, which should be serving as the ultimate control tower. The unification ministry’s resistance cannot be dismissed as mere bureaucratic turf-protection. Its apprehension is rooted in the bitter legacy of the Korea-U.S. Working Group launched in 2018 under the Moon Jae-in administration. Designed to enhance coordination on denucleariWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times