On June 19, Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young addressed the upcoming Defense White Paper 2026, which is expected to maintain North Korea’s designation as an enemy. He emphasized the need for this matter to be discussed at the National Security Council (NSC).
Minister Chung made these remarks while speaking to reporters at the inauguration ceremony for the 25th Peace and Unification Education Committee, held at the National Institute for Peace and Democracy in Seoul.
When questioned about whether this stance reflects a continuation of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s policies, Chung clarified that the Lee Jae Myung administration is a continuation of democratic governance, not an extension of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s confrontational approach towards North Korea.
He added that both the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Unification have their distinct roles. The NSC’s job is to coordinate these efforts.
The Defense White Paper, first published in 1967, outlines South Korea’s defense policy objectives and assesses North Korean military threats. It was issued annually from 1988 to 2000, then biennially from 2004. The 2024 edition was delayed due to the December 3 martial law situation.
The 2026 Defense White Paper, slated for release later this year, will be the Lee administration’s first. It’s expected to cover key issues such as the transfer of wartime operational control, reviving the September 19 military agreement, and strategies for modernizing alliances and enhancing strategic flexibility.
Deputy Defense Ministry Spokesperson Lee Kyung-ho recently refuted media reports suggesting a change in North Korea’s enemy status. He stated that claims that we’re considering not designating North Korea as an enemy in this year’s white paper are false. The stance remains firm: the North Korean regime and its military are our adversaries.
However, the Unification Ministry has expressed a different view, suggesting that labeling North Korea as the primary enemy is impractical while pursuing peace on the Korean Peninsula. A ministry official stated that peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is a core policy goal of the Lee administration. It’s contradictory to seek peace with an entity they’ve designated as the primary enemy.
The official further explained that the concept of a primary enemy should be re-evaluated in light of policies from the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations. The ministry plans to convey these perspectives to the Defense Ministry for consideration in the upcoming white paper.