Lee Jae-myung: "Local Government Inter-Korean Exchange More Efficient, Can Serve as Solution to Easing Tensions"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung emphasized inter-Korean exchange and cooperation at the local government level as a solution to easing strained inter-Korean relations at a "Forum for Peace on the Korean Peninsula and Recovery of Inter-Korean Relations" held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Building on Dec. 12, saying, "Small things gather to create a big current."

Governor Lee stated that day, "Since inter-Korean cooperation at the central government level can be greatly influenced by international relations and be highly political, cooperation at the local government level could actually be more efficient," and added, "Small but substantive efforts at the local government and private sector levels must be pursued extensively."
In particular, Governor Lee said, "Inter-Korean cooperation projects between Gyeonggi Province and North Korea are progressing even amid escalating tensions and conflicts," and emphasized, "I hope the ongoing inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects by Gyeonggi Province will serve as the foundation for large-scale cooperation projects at the central government level."
He cited as examples the provision of COVID-19 and ASF quarantine supplies despite strained inter-Korean relations following the explosion of the inter-Korean liaison office, as well as the continued pursuit of humanitarian cooperation by receiving UN sanctions exemption approval for agricultural cooperation projects.

Other participants actively agreed with Governor Lee's views and highly praised Gyeonggi Province's efforts in promoting inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects.
National Assembly Member Yoon Geon-young said, "If the central government is an expressway, then local governments are national highways. Expressways require a lot of time and resources, whereas national highways can be built much more easily by properly maintaining the trails," and added, "I hope Gyeonggi Province will steadily prepare specialized projects related to COVID-19 and ASF."
Jeong Se-hyun, Vice-Chair of the Council for Democratic Unification of Korea, said, "That's right. Gyeonggi Province opened a national highway when the expressway toll gate wasn't open," and continued, "Now Gyeonggi Province must serve as a guide to maintain the hand held with North Korea and resolve the relationship. Please continue to make small efforts that can create a great flow."

At the forum, there was also praise for Gyeonggi Province's anti-leaflet-launching measures, and consensus formed on the necessity of legislation to ban leaflet launches to North Korea.
Former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok said, "The Gyeonggi Provincial Government found various laws and took direct measures including issuing administrative orders, and I believe this helped control the situation and solve the problem," and added, "Particularly, since North Korea said it would refrain from military action, I think Gyeonggi Province's efforts may have served as a major rationale."
Vice-Chair Jeong Se-hyun said, "I agree that Gyeonggi Province's preemptive measures played a decisive role in North Korea's military restraint," and stated, "I believe it served as a catalyst for the government and the National Assembly to expedite legislative efforts regarding leaflet launches."
In response, Governor Lee said, "The issue of leaflets to North Korea is clearly a matter that must be stopped to protect the community's safety and clean environment, and it is clearly an agreement between the inter-Korean leaders, so it is naturally something that must be prevented," and urged, "Gyeonggi Province will also implement stronger measures to block this, and I ask the National Assembly to definitely push forward with legislation."

Finally, Governor Lee said, "In the past, Germany maintained its policy toward East Germany consistently for a long time and moved toward unification even when administrations changed, but we tend to change inter-Korean relations whenever administrations change," and continued, "This time, the agreement between inter-Korean leaders needs to go through rapid ratification procedures in the National Assembly. Even if we cannot connect the aorta, by connecting the capillaries to maintain minimal life, Gyeonggi Province will also pursue inter-Korean cooperation projects within the range we can do."

The forum was attended by Governor Lee Jae-myung, Vice-Chair of the Council for Democratic Unification of Korea Jeong Se-hyun, former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok, and National Assembly Member Yoon Geon-young, where they held vigorous discussions on the agenda including evaluation of measures to prevent leaflet launches to North Korea, the necessity of legislation to ban leaflet launches to North Korea, Gyeonggi Province's role and achievements in inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, the impact of peninsular situations on the Korean Peninsula, and practical measures at the local government level.