View source for Ministry of Unification

{{Short description|Government ministry of South Korea}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name            = Ministry of Unification
| native_name     = {{lang|ko|통일부}}
| native_name_a   = {{lang|ko|統一部}}
| native_name_r   = {{transliteration|ko|rr|Tongilbu}}
| type            = 
| seal            = 
| seal_width      = 
| seal_caption    = 
| logo            = Emblem of the Ministry of Unification (English) (horizontal).svg
| logo_width      = 
| logo_caption    = 
| image           = Government Complex Seoul Main Building.jpg
| image_caption   = MOU headquarters in Seoul
| formed          = {{Start date|1969|3|1}}
| preceding1      = National Unification Board {{small|(1969-1998)}}
| dissolved       = 
| superseding1    = 
| superseding2    = <!-- up to |superseding6= -->
| jurisdiction    = [[Government of South Korea]]
| headquarters    = [[Jongno District|Jongno-gu]], [[Seoul]]
| coordinates     = {{coord|37|34|29.586|N|126|58|32.632|E|type:landmark_region:KP|display=inline}}
| motto           = 
| employees       = 
| budget          = 
| minister1_name  = [[Kim Yung-ho]]
| minister1_pfo   = Minister
| deputyminister1_name = Kim So-kyeong
| deputyminister1_pfo = Vice Minister
| website         = *{{URL|unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea}} {{in lang|en}}
*{{URL|unikorea.go.kr/main.do}} {{in lang|ko}}
| map             = {{Location map|float=center|South Korea Seoul|lat_deg=37.574885|lon_deg=126.975731}}
| agency_type     = 
| embed           = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
|hangul=^통일부
|hanja=統一部
|child=yes
}}
}}

The '''Ministry of Unification''' ({{Korean|hangul=통일부}}) is an executive department of the [[South Korean government]] aimed at promoting [[Korean reunification]]. It was first established in 1969<ref name="Kim 1970"/> as the ''National Unification Board'', under the rule of [[Park Chung Hee]]. It gained its current status in 1998 and has played a major role in promoting [[North Korea–South Korea relations|inter-Korean dialogues]], exchanges and cooperation. Its headquarters are on the third and fourth floors of the [[Government Complex Seoul|Seoul Government Complex]] in [[Jongno District]], [[Seoul]].<ref>"[http://eng.unikorea.go.kr/index.do?menuCd=DOM_000000205005000000 Location & Contact Info]." ([https://archive.today/20140101124205/http://eng.unikorea.go.kr/index.do?menuCd=DOM_000000205005000000 Archive]) Ministry of Unification. Retrieved on January 1, 2013. "Ministry of Unification Address: Government Complex = Seoul, 209 Sejong-daero (Sejong-ro). Jongno-gu, Republic of Korea"</ref>

== History ==

* National Unification Board (1969~1990)
* Unification Board (1990~1998)
* Ministry of Unification (1998~present)

The Ministry of Unification takes charge of overall unification matters, including formulating policies on unification, inter-Korean dialogue, exchanges, cooperation, and humanitarian assistance; analyzing North Korea's situation; providing unification education; and promoting unification.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brief information< About MOU< About MOU< 통일부_영문 |url=https://www.unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea/about/aboutmou/infomation/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=통일부 |language=en}}</ref>

Under previous minister [[Yu Woo-ik]], the ministry consisted of one office for planning and coordination; three bureaus for unification policy, inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, and humanitarian cooperation; one special bureau for the [[Kaesong Industrial Region|Gaeseong Industrial Complex]] project; and five affiliated agencies on unification education, inter-Korean dialogue, transit between the South and the North, settlement support for dislocated North Koreans and inter-Korean consultations on exchanges and cooperation. However, in 2008, the ministry was significantly downsized as part of an efficiency restructuring of government.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eng.unikorea.go.kr/CmsWeb/viewPage.req?idx=PG0000000629# |title=Brief History - 2000s |publisher=Ministry of Unification |access-date=22 July 2012}}</ref>

During [[Park Geun-hye]] administration, the MOU has assigned nine core tasks and three cooperative tasks in order to settle peace and establish a foundation for a unified Korea considering the security circumstances and national consensus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press Releases< Press< 통일부_영문 |url=https://unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea/news/releases/;jsessionid=-f413X1OR0AelywhWosLCIkT.unikorea11?boardId=bbs_0000000000000034&mode=view&cntId=31632&category=&pageIdx=14 |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=통일부 |language=en}}</ref>

During [[Moon Jae-in]] administration, the MOU had initiated several tasks to ease the tension with North Korea. Initiatives and plans including [[Asian Highway 1]] and [[AH6 (highway)]], [[Trans-Korean Main Line]]. Also, Pyongyang and Seoul agreed to build a liaison office in [[Kaesong]], nearby [[Kaesong Industrial Region]].

== Organization ==
The minister is supported by one vice-minister.

=== Affiliated organization ===

* [[Inter-Korean Liaison Office]]
* {{ill|National Institute for Unification Education|lt=National Institute for Unification Education|ko|국립통일교육원}}
* {{ill|Inter-Korean Transit Office|lt=Inter-Korean Transit Office|ko|남북출입국사무소}}
* {{ill|Center for Unified Korean Future|lt=Center for Unified Korean Future|ko|한반도통일미래센터}}
* {{ill|North Korean Human Rights Records Center|lt=North Korean Human Rights Records Center|ko|북한인권기록센터}}
* {{ill|Inter-Korean relations Management Corps|lt=Inter-Korean relations Management Corps|ko|남북관계관리단}}

=== Related organization ===

* {{ill|Korea Hana Foundation|lt=Korea Hana Foundation|ko|북한이탈주민지원재단}}
* {{ill|South-North Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Support Association|lt=South-North Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Support Association|ko|남북교류협력지원협회}}
* {{ill|Gaeseong Industrial District Foundation|lt=Gaeseong Industrial District Foundation|ko|개성공업지구지원재단}}
* {{ill|Gyeoremalkeunsajeon Committe|lt=Gyeoremalkeunsajeon Committe|ko|겨레말큰사전남북공동편찬사업회}}
* [[Peaceful Unification Advisory Council]]

==Objectives==

=== Lee Myung Bak administration ===
The ministry's aims as of 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://38north.org/2011/09/afostercarter091111/ |title=Lee Myung Bak's Nordpolitik: A U-turn in the Pipeline? |author=Aidan Foster-Carter |work=[[38 North]] |publisher=Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies |date=11 September 2011 |access-date=22 July 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508014945/http://38north.org/2011/09/afostercarter091111/ |archive-date=8 May 2012 }}</ref> were:

===Responsibilities===
According to the Ministry website, its major duties are as follows:

* Establishing North Korea Policy: The ministry coordinates the South Korean government's policy toward North Korea and establishes and implements long-term policies for national unification. The ministry encourages public participation in the overall process. To effectively pursue unification policies, the ministry analyzes the political, socioeconomic and military aspects of North Korea.
* Coordinating inter-Korean dialogue: As the chief government body tasked with communicating with North Korea, the Ministry of Unification coordinates inter-Korean dialogue at all levels in the political, economic, military and humanitarian areas.
* Pursuing inter-Korean cooperation: In addition, the ministry sets the rules and procedures for inter-Korean economic cooperation including those governing [[Mount Kumgang|Mt. Geumgang]] tour, [[Kaesong|Gaeseong]] industrial complex and reconnection of inter-Korean roads and railways and various exchange programs in the athletic, cultural and academic areas. This includes the pursuit of humanitarian cooperation on human rights conditions in North Korea, South Korean [[Prisoner of war|POW]] and abductee issues, reunion of separated families, settlement support for dislocated North Koreans and cross-border exchanges of goods and people alongside the inter-Korean roads and railways.
* Educating the public on unification. The ministry often enlists the services of local [[Non-governmental organization|NGOs]] to provide educational information to people throughout Korea.

===Vision===
# Creating a Community for Peace: It will denuclearize the Korean peninsula, build military trust between South and North Korea and reduce tension on the peninsula.
# Creating a Community for Common Prosperity: The Lee government will help North Korea develop its economy and participate in the international community and pursue an economic cooperation that will benefit both Koreas.
# Creating a Community for Happiness: It will enhance the well-being of the 70 million South and North Koreans by resolving humanitarian issues between the two Koreas and raising the quality of life for all Koreans.<ref name="vision">{{cite web|title=Vision Statement|url=http://eng.unikorea.go.kr/content.do?cmsid=1773|website=eng.unikorea.go.kr|publisher=Ministry of Unification|access-date=23 August 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728060634/http://eng.unikorea.go.kr/content.do?cmsid=1773|archive-date=28 July 2016}}</ref>

===Guiding principles===
The Hong Yong-pyo administration is guided by four principles: a balanced approach; North Korea policy that evolves over time; and cooperation with the international community.

# A balance between ‘national security and exchange/cooperation’ and ‘inter-Korean cooperation and international cooperation’ will be struck: remain flexible where appropriate, yet firm when necessary, in order to closely coordinate the critical factors which constitute our policy towards North Korea.
# Encourage North Korea to make “the right choice” and move closer towards meaningful cross-border interaction by continuously complementing and revising our policies toward the North; North Korean policies will remain responsive and vigilant with regards to developments in our surrounding regional neighborhood in order to ensure robust and proactive management of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
# Close consultation and cooperation with the international community, we will resolve the security crisis on the Korean Peninsula; seek to establish a virtuous cycle between the resolution of issues on the Korean Peninsula and increased peace and collaboration in Northeast Asia.

===Major tasks===
# All issues between the two Koreas should be resolved through dialogue. We will engage in productive dialogue with the North to resolve all pending issues with sincerity. The leaders of the two Koreas may meet any time if they do so in good faith with the goal of unification and a better life for all 70 million Koreans.
# It will continue to encourage North Korea to give up its nuclear programs through the Six-party Talks. The Lee administration will call for a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue during inter-Korean dialogue.
# It will achieve qualitative development of inter-Korean relations through mutually beneficial economic cooperation between the two Koreas. Existing economic cooperation projects will be promoted by removing obstacles. New projects will be pursued according to the four criteria: progress in North Korea's denuclearization, economic feasibility, our financial capability and national consensus. The Lee administration will implement the Vision 3000: Denuclearization and Openness to create an inter-Korean economic community.
# Social and cultural exchanges will be expanded to develop a sense of national commonality. An institutional foundation will be laid to ensure a substantial and stable development of social and cultural exchanges.
# The former Lee administration will remain strongly committed to the resolution of the humanitarian issues. We will find fundamental solutions to the separate family issue and give a priority to the resolution of the South Korean POW and abductee issues as they are our citizens whom the government should protect. We will deal with [[human rights in North Korea]] as a matter of universal value. The ROK government will provide humanitarian aid to North Korea unconditionally from a humanitarian perspective and in the spirit of brotherhood toward fellow North Koreans.<ref name="major">{{cite web|title=Major Objective|url=http://eng.unikorea.go.kr/content.do?cmsid=1782|publisher=Ministry of Unification|access-date=23 August 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160727151015/http://eng.unikorea.go.kr/content.do?cmsid=1782|archive-date=27 July 2016}}</ref>

== List of ministers ==
The current minister of MOU is [[Kim Yung-ho]].

==See also==
<!-- New links in alphabetical order please -->
*[[Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland]] – similar organization in North Korea existed until 2024
*[[Division of Korea]]
*[[Foreign relations of South Korea]]
*[[Government of South Korea]]
*[[Information Center on North Korea]]
*[[Minister of Intra-German Relations]] — similar organization in [[West Germany]]
*[[Peaceful Unification Advisory Council|National Unification Advisory Council]]
*[[Taiwan Affairs Office]] — similar organization in [[Mainland China]]
*[[Mainland Affairs Council]] — similar organization in [[Taiwan]]
*[[State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia]] — similar organization in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
*[[Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories|Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs]] — similar organization in [[Ukraine]]

==References==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="Kim 1970">{{cite journal |last=Kim |first=Joungwon Alexander |date=January 1970 |title=Divided Korea 1969: Consolidating for Transition |jstor=2642143 |journal=Asian Survey - A Survey of Asia in 1969: Part I |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=30–42 |doi=10.2307/2642143 |quote=South Korea began planning its own reunification program with the establishment on March 1, the Sam-il Anniversary, of a Ministry of National Unification }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
*{{commons-inline}}
*{{official website|http://www.unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea/}}

{{ministries of South Korea}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Government ministries of South Korea|Unification]]
[[Category:North Korea–South Korea relations]]
[[Category:Korean reunification]]
[[Category:1969 establishments in South Korea]]
[[Category:Ministry of Unification| ]]