Unification Ministry briefs foreign diplomats on peace, N. Korea policy

South Korea’s Ministry of Unification held a policy briefing for ambassadors and representatives of international organizations in Seoul on Dec. 16, calling for sustained international attention and cooperation to promote peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula. The briefing, chaired by Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung, was designed to help the international community better understand recent developments on the peninsula, the current state of inter-Korean relations and the South Korean government’s policy direction toward North Korea for the coming year. A total of 41 institutions took part in the session. Participants included diplomats from 14 countries belonging to the so-called “Korean Peninsula Club,” whose ambassadors are concurrently accredited to both South and North Korea. Representatives from 13 countries in the “Peace Club,” which maintain diplomatic missions in North Korea were also in attendance. Diplomats from European Union member states and Japan also joined the briefing, along with representatives from four international organizations, including