Unification Ministry: "Peaceful Coexistence Impossible if North Korea Is Defined as Main Enemy... Defense White Paper Wording Needs Review"

The Ministry of Unification has stated that "it is not possible to pursue peaceful coexistence with a main enemy," in reference to the possibility that the "2026 Defense White Paper," scheduled for publication at the end of this year, may use hostile terminology regarding the North Korean regime and military. Accordingly, the ministry is expected to present its opinion on this matter.

Employees are passing under the Ministry of Unification sign at the Government Seoul Complex. Photo by Yonhap News

An official from the Ministry of Unification said at the Government Seoul Complex on June 18, "Peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is the firm policy objective of the Lee Jaemyung administration."

The official explained, "The main enemy concept should be discussed in the context of the previous Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations, and the wording in the Defense White Paper should also be reviewed from this perspective. That is our position."

In the past, the Roh Moo-hyun administration used the term "direct military threat" in the Defense White Paper, while the Moon Jae-in administration defined enemies as forces that threaten or infringe upon the sovereignty, territory, people, or property of the Republic of Korea, without explicitly designating North Korea.

The official stated, "During the process of publishing the Defense White Paper, we will submit opinions that reflect the Ministry of Unification's position." Currently, the Ministry of National Defense is drafting the Defense White Paper and is said to be collecting a wide range of opinions.

This edition of the Defense White Paper is expected to include analysis and evaluations on the designation of "enemy" by the Lee Jaemyung administration, the transfer of wartime operational control, the restoration of the 9·19 Military Agreement, and more, as it will be the first to resume publication since the 12·3 Martial Law. Previously, as speculation arose over the possible inclusion of the phrase "the North Korean regime is our enemy" in the upcoming Defense White Paper, a Ministry of National Defense official stated, "There is no change in our position that the North Korean regime and military are our enemies." The terminology used to describe North Korea as an "enemy" in the Defense White Paper has shifted between explicit mention, omission, or more inclusive language depending on the administration's stance.

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