The Lee Jae-myung administration has released its first "Unification White Paper," reflecting its commitment to peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
On May 18, the Ministry of Unification published the "2026 Unification White Paper: Records of Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula in 2025" to help the public understand the government's overall policy efforts during the year 2025.
This white paper is the first issued by the Lee Jae-myung administration and includes the subtitle "Records of Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula in 2025" for the first time since the inception of the white paper.
The Ministry explained, "Since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office in June 2025, it has continuously worked to overcome the complete severance of inter-Korean relations and to shift from hostility and confrontation to peaceful coexistence. The new subtitle reflects the significance of this policy direction change."
The white paper details the administration's efforts to promote and expand its "Peaceful Coexistence Policy on the Korean Peninsula." It includes proactive measures taken to ease tensions, such as halting leaflet distribution and stopping loudspeaker broadcasts, which have contributed to restoring peace in border areas.
It also reflects efforts to establish a foundation for the "Peaceful Coexistence Policy on the Korean Peninsula." This includes restoring inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation functions through organizational restructuring within the Ministry of Unification and improving the reporting system for contact with North Korean residents to align with its original intent.
To create a "people's sovereignty" policy on the Korean Peninsula, the Ministry established the "Korean Peninsula Peace Listening Group" under the direct supervision of the Minister of Unification to hear the voices of the public. Additionally, it has changed the designation of North Korean defectors to "North Korean residents" to move closer to unification and has shifted the paradigm of unification education to focus on peace, unification, and democratic citizenship.
The white paper states that the Lee Jae-myung administration has established a policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, declaring three principles: respect for North Korea's regime, no pursuit of absorption unification, and no hostile actions. It emphasizes the need to transition from the current "hostile two-state relations" to "peaceful two-state relations aiming for unification."
Meanwhile, key statistics related to inter-Korean relations indicate that humanitarian aid to North Korea has been nonexistent for two consecutive years since 2024. Trade between the two Koreas has also been absent for three years since 2023.
The number of people crossing the border has remained at zero for both entering and leaving North Korea since 2021, and inter-Korean communication channels have been severed since April 7, 2023.
Jeong Dong-young, Minister of Unification, stated in the preface, "In 2025, we began to move the clock of peace on the Korean Peninsula, which had long been stalled. In 2026, we will continue to move steadily toward the goal of peaceful coexistence, practicing peace through actions rather than words, and hope to sit down again as neighbors coexisting peacefully."
