Unification Ministry Holds Peace Forum with Border-Area Residents in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do Voices from the Border: Talking About Peace

Unification Ministry Holds Peaceful Forum with Border-Area Residents in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do (June 12)

[Related National Agenda] 114. Re-establishing Inter-Korean Relations of Reconciliation and Cooperation and Institutionalizing Peaceful Coexistence

On June 12, the Ministry of Unification held a peace forum under the theme "Voices from the Border: Talking About Peace" at the DMZ Peace Town for migratory cranes in Cheorwon, Gangwon-do.

Following the forum held on November 10 last year for residents of three villages north of the Civilian Control Line (CCL) in the border area of Gyeonggi-do, this event was organized as part of an on-site communication initiative to hear firsthand accounts from local residents.

The forum commenced with opening remarks by Vice Minister Kim Nam Jung. Dr. Jeong Il Young (Senior Researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences, Sogang University) delivered a keynote address titled "Peace and Safety for Residents of Border Areas: Achievements and Tasks of One Year of the National Agenda." In his address, he offered recommendations for the peace and safety of the border region and proposed ways to promote dialogue and communication in support of peace.

Subsequently, a discussion moderated by Dr. Kim Jin Hwan, Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies, Seoul National University, was held under the topic, "What does peace mean to residents of the border area?" The panel featured three village representatives from areas north of the CCL in Cheorwon, along with division directors from the Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of National Defense.

Following the forum, Vice Minister Kim had a luncheon with residents at a restaurant operated as a cooperative by the residents of Igil-ri village. Afterward, he toured the Baengmagoji Themed Route of the DMZ Peace Trail and conducted an on-site inspection of the DMZ Peace Train Music Festival.

The Ministry of Unification stated that it will closely consult with relevant ministries and local governments to actively reflect the opinions raised by residents during this forum, and will continue communicating with residents of border areas.

*DMZ Peace Trail Themed Route: A trail jointly created in 2019 by five agencies-including the Ministry of Unification, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Environment-to allow people to vividly experience the preciousness of peace through ecological, cultural, and historical resources across 10 border regions of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)