South Korea on Monday proposed talks with North Korea to discuss what it calls a range of issues needed to prepare for the unification of the divided countries.
It’s unclear if Pyongyang would accept Seoul’s offer as the country has viewed any of South Korea’s unification plans an attempt to take it over. North Korea wants a unified Korea with Pyongyang in charge.
Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae told a televised news conference that South Korea wants talks in January to discuss exchange programs, joint projects and laws needed for a unified Korea. Mr. Ryoo said South Korea hopes the proposed talks would also discuss resuming reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.
Seoul launched a government committee on the unification in July, six months after President Park Geun-hye told a New Year’s press conference that unifying with North Korea would bring an economic “bonanza,” not massive financial costs associated with any Korean unification.
North Korea made an angry response, saying Ms. Park’s plans were nothing but a plot to topple Pyongyang and build a unified Korea under a South Korean system.
