News

South Korean civil society can and must create a new environment for inter-Korean exchange

작성자/Author
관리자
작성일/Date
2020-06-03 17:15
조회/Views
541
The Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation's interview with KSM Secretary-General Hong and Director-General Sohn was published in the May/June 2020 104th edition of their magazine <Korean Reconciliation>.

Article: Yeom Kyu-Hyeon Policy & PR  Deputy Director General

Photographs: Kim Seong-Hon Guest Photographer



The Korean Sharing Movement (KSM) was created in 1996 to break the cycle of animosity and conflict on the Korean peninsula through inter-Korean exchange and humanitarian assistance and thereby contribute to peace, reconciliation, and the development of a commitment to co-existence. After 24 years of existence, KSM remains the figurehead of North Korea related organizations in the South.  Last September Kang Young-Sik left his post as Secretary General of KSM to join the South-North Exchange and Cooperation Support Association, Hong Sang-Young became KSM's Secretary-General and Sohn Jong-Do became Director-General.  We sat down with Mr. Hong and Mr. Sohn in their Seoul, Mapo office on April 22nd to hear about 24 years of KSM and their plans for the future. 


KSM Secretary-General Hong Sang-Young


Question) This year marks 24 years since the Korean Sharing Movement was founded. Amongst the ups and downs of inter-Korean relations you have achieved a great deal.

Answer) Secretary General (SG) Hong: We can divide those 24 years of KSM history roughly into three periods. The first ten years after establishment, a ‘dry’ ten years, and then four years defining the future direction. The first ten years after establishment successfully established a new format for civilian exchange between South and North. KSM was born out of the coming together of several religious and civil society groups who shared the idea of creating a platform for inter-Korean civilian exchange. Matching the atmosphere in South Korean society at the time, the movement focused on compatriotism and inter-Korean reconciliation. By around 2008, the Korean Sharing Movement’s activities had completed the jump from simple assistance delivery to sustainable development cooperation. From 2008 onwards, for around ten years, it would be fair to say that South Korean citizens' interest in inter-Korean cooperation noticeably decreased whilst the South Korean government pursued a policy of pressure based on power towards the North (rather than on reconciliation and exchange). In an environment where these two factors came together it was inevitable that inter-Korean exchange would ‘stagnate’ somewhat as it were. Nevertheless, by 2016 I believe that some level of consensus had been reached within South Korean society regarding inter-Korean exchange and assistance to the north. Of course we made some mistakes during this lean period regarding civil society’s role in the unification movement and South-North exchange. However, there were grave concerns in society about the government’s one sided hard line policies towards North Korea. Here at KSM, we also reflected on our previous activities and the need for a new alternative path moving forward. As a result of this, in 2016 we created a new vision and mission as well as redefining our strategic focus. After our first twenty years of existence divided into two distinct eras we are now in a third phase devising and preparing a new framework for inter-Korean exchange.

Q) Then how can we understand your vision and mission in this third phase of KSM’s evolution?

A) SG Hong: We established three goals. The first is that cooperative projects should in principle be mutually beneficial and not unilateral. This is a reflection of thinking on both sides of the Korean peninsula formed during the ten year lull in exchange projects. A consensus has developed that as well as being mutually beneficial to the ordinary citizens of the peninsula, cooperation should also be sustainable. The second goal is to create a consensus within society regarding peace and then help develop a culture of peace as a by-product of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation projects. Without such an endeavor, even if inter-Korean exchange is continued, it will remain susceptible to collapse at any time. The final goal is the need to create international solidarity for peace through cooperation on the Korean peninsula. In relation to this, we have organized our international conference for cooperation on the Korean peninsula (or a similar form of it) for the past sixteen years. Now we need to take another step forward and explain the rationale and justification for our work to garner support and increase cooperation. This is something that KSM needs to think about and collaborate on with other South Korean NGOs.

Q) DPRK-US relations and South-North relations are strained. You recently became Secretary General and now we are in the midst of people having to deal with COVID-19.

A) SG Hong: I plan to lead by consensus whereby all of KSM’s members participate in decision making to firstly establish goals and then fulfill them. I think it is very important that we diversify the age range of our sponsors and make them feel that KSM’s work is something absolutely necessary in our society that is contributing towards peace and unification on the Korean peninsula. We want the Korean Sharing Movement to become a group that young people can also participate in.

 

KSM Director-General Sohn Jong-Do


Q) Different prospects and concerns regarding post COVID-19 currently coexist. What preparations do we need to be making?

A) Director General (DG) Sohn: Plainly the way we live our lives cannot be the same as before. However, it’s not clear what any new way will look like. This is an issue not just for us, but for the whole world. In the past we have approached our issue through ‘ethnicity’ with us being the same as those in the north. At the same time we have approached it as the North being ‘another state’ that applied for UN membership at the same time as South Korea. We also approached it as being a two bodies in a special interim (non-state) relationship stemming from the process towards reunification. After COVID-19, it could be the case that the world becomes more state centric with a deepening of isolationism. However, it also could be the case that actually we move towards a trend where global cooperation that transcends the state gains prominence. In either scenario there is the possibility that we will be able to redefine inter-Korean relations in a new paradigm for this new period.

Q) There are a lot of people forecasting that since the National Assembly elections the South Korean government has gained some flexibility with regards to its North Korea policy. What do you see as the most important point for the Moon administration to push forward with in the remainder of this administration?

A) SG Hong: They need to achieve ratification in the National Assembly of the concluded inter-Korean agreements. Other than the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, other agreements have not been ratified in the National Assembly. This includes the June 15th Joint Declaration, October 4th Declaration, and the April 27th Panmunjom Declaration. Without ratification of these agreements, North Korean policy changes with each administration and it is difficult to achieve any consistency. Of course this ratification shouldn’t be pushed through unilaterally. The opposition, particularly the conservative camp, should be persuaded and a consensus built before ratification is pursued in a stable manner.

A) DG Sohn: It’s also the mission of the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, but we need to make efforts to develop a social consensus regarding unification and then institutionalize it. Despite the current administration making efforts in this regard it is still the case that North Korea policy is dominated by the government making procedures focused on regulations. The stalling in inter-Korean relations last year clearly showed the limitations of such a government centric approach. Now is the time for the government to trust its citizens and widen the hitherto narrow playing field. Of course this is not a short term project. This is something that needs to happen with a view to the medium-long term.

Q) Last year the range of organizations that can be licensed to engage with North Korea was expanded to include local government authorities. There are some quarters which see this as something that will shrink the activities of North Korea related NGOs in the South.

A) SG Hong: The important thing is breaking the control of the government’s monopoly of a framework centered on restrictions. The key point here is that the actors and range of activities for NK related projects is expanding which in the end will really benefit everyone. Get rid of the restrictions and allow anybody, whether its NGOs or local government authorities, to participate in inter-Korean exchange. From this perspective, the participation of local government authorities is a positive. Furthermore, local authorities cannot compete with or ignore NGOs. The public would not accept that. Actually of more importance is the fact that even if we do loosen regulations so that more actors can participate, it won’t mean a thing unless the north responds positively to our overtures. We need the government, local government authorities and NGOs to cooperate together in a bid to solve this.

A) DG Sohn: The most important thing is how NGOs sculpt the new landscape in light of the new situation and environment. In 1996 KSM created a new reality for inter-Korean exchange and assistance to the North. In a post COVID-19 world where we do not know what to expect, NGOs have to be proactive in reflecting on what the new environment should look like and what role civil society should play.

Q) Eventually, for diversified actors to participate in inter-Korean exchange or issues regarding unification, first there needs to be an interest in the north and people need accurate information or ‘the truth’ about North Korea. This has long been a task for NGOs in this field, but this is also keenly related to young people’s participation. It seems that rather than the current young generation having positive or negative views on North Korea, it is more that they have no interest whatsoever. What do we need to reflect on and how can we approach this issue?

A) SG Hong: We need to get on their level. Over 50s have attached a lot of meaning to being the same ethnically when engaging with the South-North problem. However the younger you go from that age range downwards, the more there is a trend of placing increased significance on humanity and universalism rather than a specific characteristic such as ethnicity. Things like human rights, the environment, and the universality of certain political structures for example. We need to meet young people on their level and pursue inter-Korean cooperative projects in a just, transparent manner. It is not sufficient to say that we are all Koreans so we should carry out exchange. We need to show the advantages to both sides today and in the future. We have to produce tangible results. I think in some respects we need another movement to understand North Korea (as there was in the 1980’s as part of South Korea's democratization movement) so as to challenge the hatred and or apathy regarding the North. Information regarding the North has been so severely restricted in our society. This has led to a large difference in discourses about the North depending on people’s political persuasion. Here, the media’s role is naturally very important and has been cause for disappointment in the past. No society has only positive points or only negative points. Therefore, we need to take efforts to see both sides.

A) DG Sohn: I think we also need to try and stop looking at the South or North separately and try to look at the Korean peninsula collectively. We have to do that if we are to overcome the current situation and move towards cooperation and reconciliation. If we regard the North as something completely unrelated to us then we naturally have no need to take an interest. However, if we realize that North Korea is having an impact on our lives and our lifestyle all of the time, then the need to have an interest in and to understand North Korea takes on a new pressing significance. This is something where the NGOs such as us, that have a lot more experience with the north than the general public, need to make efforts to facilitate change.                                        


(Picture and text source: Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation blog  https://blog.naver.com/kcrcpolicy/221960088103)

(Unofficial translation of interview)
« COVID-19 on the Korean Peninsula & inter-Korean relations
20th anniversary of the June 15th North-South Joint Declaration. KSM Statement »
목록보기/List