Amid stalled inter-Korean relations despite the Lee Jae-myung government's outreach to Pyongyang, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump's anticipated April 2026 visit to China could thaw the deadlock and spur peace efforts. He described the coming four months as a critical juncture and plans to engage neighboring countries closely. Chung pledged to make 2026 the year of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated during a press conference in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on December 11 that U.S. President Donald Trump's expected April 2026 visit to China could help end the prolonged stalemate in inter-Korean relations and provide fresh momentum for engagement. Despite the Lee Jae-myung administration's proactive overtures to Pyongyang over the past six months yielding no response, officials in Seoul see Trump's interest in reengaging North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a potential catalyst.
"With President Trump's visit to China expected in April, the next four months will be a critical turning point in determining whether the situation moves toward peace or remains in the current stalemate," Chung said. He intends to coordinate closely with neighboring countries to foster a conducive environment for dialogue ahead of the Beijing trip and is considering a visit to China himself. Throughout the hour-long briefing, he underscored the urgency of restoring communication with the North, vowing that "2026 would mark the beginning of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. To rebuild the trust that has collapsed, we will continue steady efforts."
Inter-Korean ties, which hit their lowest under the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration, remain deeply chilled despite Seoul's initiatives. Uncertainties have grown as the recent U.S. National Security Strategy omitted any reference to North Korea's denuclearization, but Chung assured reporters that cooperation with Washington on North Korea policy "remains smooth."
Local media reported this week that Kevin Kim, the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, stressed maintaining sanctions on North Korea and the current scale of joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises in meetings with South Korean security officials. Kim met with Chung on November 25, and the minister called the leak of discussion details "regrettable." Chung has consistently argued that reducing joint drills could incentivize Pyongyang's return to talks, as the North has long condemned them as "rehearsals for invasion."
The minister also committed to advancing a "peaceful two-state" framework as a transitional step toward unification, backed by a recent Gallup Korea poll of 1,005 adults conducted December 2-8 at the ministry's request, where 69.9 percent supported the idea. Some 64.6 percent agreed North Korea should be viewed as a separate country. "This is not some idea that suddenly emerged after I took office," Chung said. "It reflects our longstanding position that has been maintained since the 1991 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement. Distorting this or labeling it as an 'abandonment of unification' is an overly political interpretation."
