Jeju Island is set to revive its Vitamin C diplomacy initiative, a program that began in 1999 to send Jeju tangerines to North Korea.
On Thursday, the provincial government reported that Governor Oh Young-hoon met with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young at the Government Seoul Complex on Wednesday afternoon. Their discussion focused on strategies for implementing the Jeju-style inter-Korean exchange and cooperation project.
During the meeting, Governor Oh stressed the importance of restarting the tangerine-sending program, which had previously garnered acclaim as part of the Vitamin C diplomacy efforts.
The initiative, which began in 1999 with an initial shipment of 100 tons, continued until 2010. Over this period, a total of 66,000 tons of tangerines and carrots were sent to North Korea. However, the program was suspended on May 24, 2010, due to sanctions imposed on North Korea.
In preparation for the program’s revival, the provincial government has earmarked 200 million KRW (about 137,000 USD) in next year’s budget for inter-Korean exchange and cooperation funds.
Minister Chung commended the tangerine initiative, stating that the inter-Korean cooperation facilitated by Jeju tangerines has made a substantial contribution to improving North-South relations. He further expressed that he fully endorse Jeju’s proposals for inter-Korean exchanges and pledge his active support.
Governor Oh noted that with South Korea’s diplomatic standing enhanced by the successful hosting of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, it’s imperative that we generate new momentum in inter-Korean relations. He affirmed that Jeju, having been at the forefront of improving inter-Korean relations, will continue to lead the way in ushering in a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula.