Gov't accepts bill scrapping veto on inter-Korean civilian contact
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Gov't accepts bill scrapping veto on inter-Korean civilian contact
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정부, 대북 민간 접촉 신고 수리 거부권 폐지 법안 수용
For 36 years the South Korean government held the power to prohibit its nationals from contacting North Koreans.
Now it's seeking to surrender that power.
Our Unification Ministry Correspondent Kim Do-yeon explains.
The South Korean government has agreed in principle to a bill that would give up its power to block civilian contact reports with North Koreans.
The Unification Ministry confirmed the decision as it submitted the position to main opposition PPP Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo on Thursday.
The bill was proposed by lawmaker Kim Jun-hyung of the Rebuilding Korea Party.
The proposed bill would delete a clause letting the Unification Minister reject a civilian contact report.
Under current law, the Minister can refuse a report if it's likely to harm inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, national security, or public order and welfare.
The Ministry says the change fits the law's original purpose.
It calls the current system a notification system, not an approval system.
Even if the bill passes, the duty to report contact in advance will stay, along with any fines for failing to report.
Ministry data shows 89 contact reports were rejected between 2022 and 2025.
That includes 4 cases in 2022, 44 in 2023, 25 in 2024, and 16 in 2025.
Back in July 2025, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young scrapped a related internal guideline.
That guideline let officials reject reports at their own discretion until then.
The National Intelligence Service and the Justice Ministry once opposed scrapping the clause.
Last September, the NIS warned it could open a blind spot in managing inter-Korean exchange.
It also warned North Korea could exploit the change for espionage.
The Justice Ministry wanted the rejection grounds narrowed, not removed, citing the risk of violations under the National Security Act.
Both agencies changed their position in February 2026, during talks led by the Unification Ministry.
Still, Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo says safeguards should be prioritized.
He says the state should not give up its power to block risky contact in advance.
The bill is now pending in the bill review subcommittee of the Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.
#SouthKorea #Inter_Korean_civilian_contact #Contact #Civilian #대한민국 #민간접촉신고 #거부권 #폐지 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스
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2026-09-17, 17:00 (KST)
For 36 years the South Korean government held the power to prohibit its nationals from contacting North Koreans.
Now it's seeking to surrender that power.
Our Unification Ministry Correspondent Kim Do-yeon explains.
The South Korean government has agreed in principle to a bill that would give up its power to block civilian contact reports with North Koreans.
The Unification Ministry confirmed the decision as it submitted the position to main opposition PPP Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo on Thursday.
The bill was proposed by lawmaker Kim Jun-hyung of the Rebuilding Korea Party.
The proposed bill would delete a clause letting the Unification Minister reject a civilian contact report.
Under current law, the Minister can refuse a report if it's likely to harm inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, national security, or public order and welfare.
The Ministry says the change fits the law's original purpose.
It calls the current system a notification system, not an approval system.
Even if the bill passes, the duty to report contact in advance will stay, along with any fines for failing to report.
Ministry data shows 89 contact reports were rejected between 2022 and 2025.
That includes 4 cases in 2022, 44 in 2023, 25 in 2024, and 16 in 2025.
Back in July 2025, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young scrapped a related internal guideline.
That guideline let officials reject reports at their own discretion until then.
The National Intelligence Service and the Justice Ministry once opposed scrapping the clause.
Last September, the NIS warned it could open a blind spot in managing inter-Korean exchange.
It also warned North Korea could exploit the change for espionage.
The Justice Ministry wanted the rejection grounds narrowed, not removed, citing the risk of violations under the National Security Act.
Both agencies changed their position in February 2026, during talks led by the Unification Ministry.
Still, Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo says safeguards should be prioritized.
He says the state should not give up its power to block risky contact in advance.
The bill is now pending in the bill review subcommittee of the Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.
#SouthKorea #Inter_Korean_civilian_contact #Contact #Civilian #대한민국 #민간접촉신고 #거부권 #폐지 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스
📣 Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/arirangtvnews
📣 Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/@ArirangCoKrArirangNEWS
📣 Homepage : https://v2.arirang.com/
2026-09-17, 17:00 (KST)
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