Latest news with #KimNam-jung
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Seoul hosts 1st remembrance ceremony for Korean War abductees, vows to address humanitarian issues
The government on Saturday held its first official memorial ceremony for those abducted by North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War, reaffirming its commitment to resolving long-standing humanitarian issues stemming from the country's division. The inaugural Korean War Abductees Remembrance Day event was held at Imjingak Peace Park in the border city of Paju, north of Seoul. It marked the first official observance of Korean War Abductees Remembrance Day, which was designated by law last year to be held annually on June 28. "Resolving humanitarian issues caused by the division of the Korean Peninsula is a fundamental duty of the state and a top priority," Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung said during a speech at the event. Kim described the issue of wartime abductions as "one of the darkest legacies of division and war," stressing that any future-oriented approach to inter-Korean peace and coexistence must also include efforts to heal past wounds. "We can no longer delay the urgent task of confirming the fate of abducted loved ones and easing the pain carried by their families," Kim said. He added that the unification ministry under the new Lee Jae Myung administration will do its utmost to reduce military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and establish sustainable peace, ensuring that the tragedy of war is never repeated. "We will address the problems born out of national division and war one by one by reopening channels of communication with the North and work to resume dialogue," Kim said. "In moving from confrontation to reconciliation, we will make efforts to heal the pain of national division and suffering of families of wartime abductees." The Seoul government estimates that nearly 100,000 South Koreans have been kidnapped by the North since the war. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Vice unification minister stresses need to 'disentangle' fractured inter-Korean ties
New Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung said Monday the government needs to start with small steps, including reopening now-suspended inter-Korean communication lines, to "disentangle" fractured relations and build trust with North Korea. Kim made the remarks in his inauguration speech, as he took office as the first vice unification minister under President Lee Jae Myung, who has pledged to ease military tensions and pursue dialogue with North Korea to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula. "Starting from small things, like opening communication lines between the South and the North, the raveled inter-Korean relations should be disentangled," Kim noted. "Inter-Korean trust should be build piece by piece, without haste even though there is a long way to go." As inter-Korean ties drastically soured under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration, North Korea has shut down communication with South Korea since April 2023. South Korea continues to place daily calls to the North through an inter-Korean liaison communication line and a military hotline, but the calls have gone unanswered ever since. "Peace on the Korean Peninsula has reached a dead end worse than we have ever imagined," Kim said, referring to the prolonged lack of inter-Korean communication and Pyongyang's ongoing efforts to distance itself from Seoul. The vice minister emphasized Lee's remarks that "peace is better than war, however expensive it is," reiterating the president's pledge to build peace on the peninsula through dialogue and cooperation with North Korea. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Lee Jae Myung appoints vice ministers for unification, interior, agriculture, ocean, disaster management
South Korea's presidential office on Friday announced a list of vice minister-level officials across several ministries. According to Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, Kim Nam-jung, a veteran of inter-Korean affairs, was appointed vice minister of the Ministry of Unification. Kim previously served as the standing representative for inter-Korean talks and has worked at the ministry for over 30 years, earning the nickname 'the living history of the Unification Ministry.' At the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Kim Min-jae, currently an assistant vice minister, was promoted to vice minister. Kim Gwang-yong, the ministry's spokesperson, was tapped to head the National Disaster and Safety Management Agency, which plays a key role in crisis response and disaster preparedness. Kang Hyoung-seok, head of the Agricultural Innovation Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, was named its new vice minister. At the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Kim Sung-bum, director of the Marine Policy Bureau, was promoted to vice minister. The presidential office said the appointees were selected for their 'field expertise and institutional knowledge,' and emphasized the importance of leadership that can deliver 'stable and responsive governance' across sectors ranging from agriculture and marine policy to inter-Korean relations and public safety.
