Seoul: The unification ministry announced its continued commitment to fostering peaceful coexistence with North Korea, despite recent challenges and calls for caution from President Lee Jae Myung.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry emphasized the importance of ongoing efforts to create opportunities for peace, issuing a statement reaffirming its strategy. This move follows President Lee's cautious remarks during a policy briefing, where he questioned the ministry's proposal to eliminate the "main enemy" label for North Korea in favor of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, to build trust.

South Korea continues to refer to its northern neighbor as "North Korea" due to its stance from the 1991 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, which does not recognize the two Koreas as separate states. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, on his way to work, reiterated the president's support for the peace initiative, acknowledging the challenges but highlighting the need for persistence.

The approach has sparked concerns that the Lee administration may be adopting an overly conciliatory stance toward North Korea, which has shown little indication of reciprocating. During the policy briefing, President Lee cautioned against the potential for well-intentioned policies to be manipulated for political purposes.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has also voiced skepticism regarding Chung's initiatives, labeling them as "idealistic" and expressing doubt about their practicality. Cho noted the lack of coordination within the government on the unification ministry's four-way dialogue proposal, which involves the two Koreas, the United States, and China.

In defense of the ministry's approach, Chung asserted that idealism is necessary to effect change, emphasizing the need for cooperation within the government to progress. The ministry supported Chung's perspective, describing its strategy as the most realistic and practical approach under current circumstances.