Washington: South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Thursday renewed his call for multilateral dialogue to restore inter-Korean trust and foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, stressing the need for support from the international community, including the United States.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung made the call in a written message delivered at a peace forum in Washington. The renewed call comes after he proposed a four-way dialogue involving the two Koreas, the U.S., and China on the denuclearization of the peninsula during his visit to Ulaanbaatar earlier this month.
Chung emphasized the importance of building an institutionalized peace on the Korean Peninsula through multilateral dialogue, aiming to rebuild trust between the two Koreas and transition to a peace regime. He stated that such a regime would lay the foundation for sustainable peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the entire Northeast Asia, requiring support and cooperation from the international community, including the U.S.
The Unification Minister highlighted Seoul's commitment to pursuing peaceful coexistence on the peninsula, pledging to continue efforts to transform hostility and confrontation into mutual respect and cooperation. Over the past year, the South Korean government has been making preemptive efforts to reduce inter-Korean tension and restore trust.
The administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has been seeking to restart diplomacy with North Korea, although it remains uncertain whether Pyongyang would respond positively to Seoul's overtures for dialogue amid its strengthening ties with Moscow and Beijing.
Former President Moon Jae-in, in his message for the same forum, emphasized the significance of addressing security issues on the Korean Peninsula, noting that peace on the peninsula is a touchstone for peace across the Asia-Pacific region and the entire world. Moon called for collective efforts to establish a model for peace in a region marked by high military presence.
Moon also highlighted the potential historic achievement of dismantling the world's last remaining Cold War structure on the peninsula, which would restore global faith in peace. He pointed out the role of the U.S. in restoring fractured global security and economic systems, emphasizing that the U.S. has the power and responsibility to address current global crises.
Moon expressed hope that the U.S. would reflect on its historical role and demonstrate leadership necessary to restore the multilateral order and achieve peaceful resolutions through dialogue.