South Korea's Unification White Paper Prioritises Coexistence with North Korea
Seoul (ANTARA) - South Korea is shifting its policy focus towards peaceful coexistence with North Korea rather than pursuing pressure and confrontation, as outlined in the Korean Unification White Paper, the annual report from South Korea’s Ministry of Unification released on Monday.
The report reflects a markedly different tone compared to previous administrations. The document mirrors the efforts of the South Korean government, currently under the leadership of President Lee Jae Myung since June 2025, to improve relations on the Korean Peninsula based on mutual trust.
The South Korean administration, which was considerably more conservative under Yoon Suk Yeol, previously sought to bring change to North Korea through pressure and the influx of external information. The latest White Paper contains three core principles: South Korea will respect North Korea’s system, will not pursue reunification through absorption, and will not engage in hostile activities.
Among the measures mentioned, the Lee administration has decided to cease the distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets to North Korea and halt loudspeaker broadcasts along the border area as an effort to ease military tensions and rebuild trust. The document also outlines plans to revive the 19 September Military Pact, signed by former President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018, and to pursue bilateral agreements to build a systematic foundation for peaceful coexistence.
The shift in policy priorities is clearly visible in the language used within the White Paper. Mentions of ‘peace’ and ‘peaceful coexistence’ have surged to 196 instances from a previous 29; meanwhile, references to ‘meetings’ or ‘dialogue’ increased to 58 from 16. Conversely, mentions of ‘North Korean defectors’ plummeted to just 10, down from 203.
Despite Seoul offering a peaceful approach, inter-Korean relations remain practically frozen. There has been no human exchange between the two Koreas for the past five years and no economic exchange at all, according to the White Paper. Meanwhile, Pyongyang continues to strengthen its ‘Two-State Policy’—an official doctrine stating that North and South Korea are at war—by revising its constitution to remove all references to reunification and severing remaining ties with Seoul.