On Wednesday, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met with a delegation from the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, officially proposing European Union (EU)-mediated 2+1 inter-Korean political dialogue and urging Europe to play a more active role in the Korean Peninsula peace process.
During the meeting at the Government Seoul Building, Minister Chung suggested to please consider a 2+1 inter-Korean political dialogue mediated by the EU. This proposal aims to establish a new dialogue framework with the EU as a third-party mediator, especially given that direct communication between the two Koreas has been severed for over seven years.
Minister Chung stated that currently, the two Koreas remain trapped in a quagmire of distrust and hostility, completely cut off from dialogue. However, the desire for peaceful coexistence is likely shared by both North and South. He emphasized the necessity of EU involvement, citing the EU’s historical experience in overcoming centuries of hostility and achieving integration as a valuable reference for resolving issues on the Korean Peninsula.
Notably, Minister Chung characterized the situation on the Korean Peninsula, which has not seen a post-war system transition for over 70 years since the 1953 armistice, as an unprecedented tragic case in history. He proposed using the EU’s post-war peace institutionalization experience as a model.
He pointed out that Europe officially ended the war and institutionalized peace through agreements like the Potsdam Agreement and the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty after World War II. In contrast, the Korean Peninsula has failed to resolve post-war issues even 73 years after the 1953 armistice.
He continued that the armistice has persisted across generations, emphasizing the urgent need for the EU’s experience and diplomatic role to transition from an unstable peace to a stable and enduring one.
Minister Chung also recalled his proposal to the EU last year during his visit to Brussels to appoint a special envoy for peace on the Korean Peninsula, reiterating his request for expanded institutional engagement from the EU.