Gov't supports bill easing restrictions on civilian contact with N. Koreans: lawmaker
The government has expressed support for a bill that would ease restrictions on South Koreans seeking to contact North Korean residents by removing its authority to block such contacts, officials said Thursday. Under the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, South Korean nationals planning to make contact with North Koreans are required to file a report in advance with the unification…
The South Korean government has shown support for a bill that aims to ease restrictions on civilian contacts with North Korean residents, officials revealed on Thursday. Currently, under the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, South Korean nationals who wish to engage in such contact are obligated to submit a report to the unification ministry beforehand.
The ministry has the discretion to reject these requests if there are significant concerns that the interaction could undermine inter-Korean cooperation or pose a threat to national security, public order, or public welfare.
Rep. Kim Joon-hyung, a member of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, introduced a revision to the bill that seeks to eliminate the government's authority to reject such contact requests. Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, representing the main opposition People Power Party, confirmed this proposed change, according to a report from the unification ministry.
The ministry has responded by affirming its support for the revision, stating that it views the law's objective as fostering inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, and it intends to maintain the existing system for managing such interactions.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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