South Korean Ministry of Unification supports easing North Korean contact laws

South Korea’s Ministry of Unification has expressed support for a legislative amendment that would remove the government's authority to reject reports of citizens attempting to contact North Koreans. If passed, this would mark the first major change to the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act in 36 years, effectively allowing unrestricted civilian contact between the two Koreas.

The proposed amendment seeks to delete a clause in Article 9-2, Paragraph 3, which currently allows the Minister of Unification to deny contact requests if they are deemed a threat to national security, public order, or social welfare. While the Ministry of Unification supports the change, the National Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Justice have previously expressed concerns that removing these safeguards could create blind spots for managing exchange orders and increase risks of North Korean espionage or illegal remittances.

Separately, Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young outlined a four-point blueprint for a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. His proposal includes signing a peace treaty, pursuing diplomatic recognition between North Korea and the U.S. and Japan, implementing conventional arms control, and expanding humanitarian and economic cooperation. Chung emphasized that the current leadership in South Korea and the United States provides an optimal opportunity to advance these diplomatic goals.