European Tour Focuses on Conflict Resolution Models
South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young is scheduled to visit Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Germany from Oct. 28 through Nov. 5, according to the Ministry of Unification.
The trip aims to study how European nations have managed conflict and built peace, while broadening international understanding of the South Korean government's policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.
Chung will first travel to Northern Ireland to meet figures who participated in the region's peace process. Discussions there will focus on the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and how a long-running conflict was eased over time, according to the ministry.
In Ireland, Chung will meet with international conflict mediation specialists and members of parliament to examine cases where conflict resolution and peace settlements were institutionalized.
During his stay in Dublin, he will deliver a special lecture on peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula at Trinity College Dublin. The invitation was extended by SOFIA, a student-run international politics society.
German Unity Day and Bilateral Cooperation
The minister's itinerary includes a stop in Germany to attend the 36th anniversary ceremony for German Unity Day in Bremen as the government's representative.
Ahead of the ceremony, Chung plans to meet with the president of the Bundesrat, who also serves as the mayor of Bremen. During these meetings, he will call for German interest and cooperation in advancing peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Chung also intends to meet with German political and government figures to exchange views on how East and West Germany expanded exchanges and reduced tensions. These discussions will include explaining the need for international cooperation toward peaceful coexistence.
Ministry Objectives
A ministry official stated that the visit is designed to raise international understanding of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
The official added that the trip aims to broaden the foundation of international cooperation for inter-Korean relations.