SEOUL — The foreign ministry announced a significant overhaul of the bureau that handles the North Korean nuclear issue on Thursday, signaling a shift toward a broader approach encompassing foreign policy intelligence-gathering.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the restructuring will see the establishment of the Office of Strategy and Intelligence, replacing the current Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs. This move comes as a response to the ongoing deadlock in nuclear negotiations with Pyongyang and aims to adapt to the changing dynamics of global foreign policy. The new office will comprise three units focusing on diplomatic strategy, intelligence, and international security, alongside the existing Korean Peninsula affairs unit. This revision, about 18 years since the Korean Peninsula office was set up, reflects the evolving nature of North Korean issues, extending beyond nuclear and missile threats to encompass concerns like cybercrimes and financial sanctions. The foreign ministry clarified that this reorganization does not diminish the importance of North Korea nuclear issues but aims to integrate strategy and intelligence functions to address these concerns within a broader context. The plan is set to be fina lized after coordination with related government bodies, as the dialogue with North Korea remains at a standstill since the Hanoi summit.