Koreas to have 1st civilian exchange of year on Feb. 12

Farmers ask the govrment to sent tractors and other agricultural machines to North Korea to help speeding up cross-border reconcilation during a rally in Jeju Island, Jan. 29. / Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

A joint delegation of South Korean civic groups will visit North Korea from Feb. 12 to 13 for this year's first civilian exchange between the two Koreas.

A 200-member delegation co-led by late President Kim Dae-jung's third son Kim Hong-gul, Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong and three other leaders engaging in inter-Korean reconciliatory movements will travel to Mount Geumgang Resort on the North's east coast, Feb. 12.

The delegates represent a wide range of fields, including religion, economy, environment, academia, peace movement, labor rights, women's rights as well as culture and art.

They will discuss how they can broaden mutual understanding and bolster cooperation in their respective fields with North Korea.

The total number of delegates from both Koreas is estimated to be 400. The North said its delegation will also be led by five people, but did not say who.

The two-day program will include a welcoming performance, a luncheon and a dinner, all taking place on Feb. 12. The South delegation will return home after a tour of Mount Geumgang on Feb. 13.

In a statement released in late January, the South Korean delegation said it looks forward to making a breakthrough on social and cultural exchanges, underscoring that government-to-government dialogue and cooperation can't resolve all ideological gaps between the two Koreas.

"We should diversify cross-border cooperation and take it to a higher level," said Kim Hong-gul, who chairs the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation.

The council is aimed at upholding Kim Dae-jung's policy of engagement and reconciliation, in line with the first-ever inter-Korean summit between Kim Dae-jung and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang on June 15, 2000.

Kim claimed cross-border exchanges must go on at both governmental and civic levels, regardless of international sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear program.

"The sanctions will not completely go away before denuclearization of Pyongyang, but it still can't stop exchanges and cooperation with the North," he said. "We should appeal our thoughts and convince the international community."

The South delegation assessed its role will be especially critical this year, considering the denuclearization talks made little headway despite North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's summits with President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump last year.

"We certainly witnessed remarkable changes in cross-border relations, thanks to the leaders of the two Koreas who boldly affirmed to open an era of peace and prosperity," the delegation said. "Still, differences over how to implement the inter-Korean agreements and other obstacles bring a challenge whether we can continue to step toward reconciliation."

Several inter-Korean civilian exchanges took place last year when President Moon and Kim met three times in April, May and September. Among them were a football match between members of the two Koreas' labor unions and a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the now-suspended tour program to Mount Geumgang.