Minister Chung: Shed 'De-nuclearization First' Inertia, Discuss Peace Regime

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young argued on the 26th that discussions on a peace regime should not be halted, confined by the inertia of prioritizing 'de-nuclearization first.'

In his keynote address at the 2026 Korean Peninsula Symposium held on the same day, Minister Chung referenced the failures of negotiations aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear issue over the past 30 years. He pointed out that the suspension of peace regime talks, blocked by the hurdle of de-nuclearization, had led to North Korea enhancing its nuclear capabilities.

Conversely, Chung urged a paradigm shift, stating that opening the path to a peace regime had generated substantial momentum for addressing the North Korean nuclear issue. He emphasized the need for a phased approach, starting with building a peace regime and leading to its suspension, reduction, and de-nuclearization.

Participants in the symposium's second session included former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-gun, former Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Noh Kyu-duk, Professor Lee Hye-jung of Chung-Ang University, and former Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Chung In-kyo. The 2026 Korean Peninsula Symposium was jointly hosted by Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Unification, and the Institute for National Security Strategy.