The ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs says it will abandon the August 15 Unification Doctrine devised by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and seek to restore trust between the two Koreas.

At a press briefing Monday, unification ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam said President Lee Jae Myung’s three-point message to North Korea on Liberation Day was a promise to respect the North’s regime and not to engage in hostile acts or seek unification via absorption.
 
The spokesperson said Lee’s message affirmed the administration’s policy in favor of peaceful coexistence between the two Koreas and disavowed the previous government’s pursuit of unification by seeking to absorb the North.

When asked if the Lee administration has officially abolished Yoon’s doctrine, the spokesperson said the doctrine focused excessively on liberty and human rights at the time of its announcement, which resulted in procedural issues during its formulation.

The spokesperson said the government intends to consistently seek measures to ease cross-border tensions and restore trust between the two Koreas.