N. Korea fails to understand and persuade its residents: defector diplomat’s view on the ‘Two Koreas Theory’

[Anchor]

Amid this, there are observations that the DPRK will reflect the 'two-state theory' in its constitution during the Supreme People's Assembly, but no specific measures have been announced yet.

In response, defector diplomats analyze that this is because they have not been able to persuade internally regarding the two-state theory.

Next, we have Yang Min-cheol's report.

[Report]

The Supreme People's Assembly ended without mentioning the reflection of the 'two-state theory' or territorial provisions in the constitution.

[Korean Central TV/Yesterday: "The proposal to 'modify and supplement certain contents of the Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea' was adopted unanimously."]

In this regard, former high-ranking diplomats who defected from the DPRK agree that they were unable to provide a convincing explanation to the majority of DPRK residents who desire unification.

[Ko Yeong-hwan/Director of the National Institute for Unification Education/Former First Secretary of the DPRK Embassy in Congo: "For the DPRK regime, the idea of erasing unification is still a significant burden. The majority of people in the DPRK think, 'I have devoted my entire life to the unification of my country'..."]

Nevertheless, there are analyses that Kim Jong-un's continued emphasis on the two-state theory is more about justifying the threat of nuclear use against South Korea rather than giving up on unification.

[Thae Yong-ho/Secretary General of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council/Former N. Korean deputy ambassador to the UK: "The essence of the hostile two-state theory is a unification strategy through the complete annihilation of the Republic of Korea by nuclear weapons; I would like to evaluate it this way."]

Nonetheless, they emphasized that the government's new unification plan announced on Liberation Day, the '8.15 Unification Doctrine', should be actively pursued, particularly stressing the expansion of access to information for DPRK residents.

[Ri Il-kyu/Former Counselor at the DPRK Embassy in Cuba: "I think it is necessary to adopt a strategy that brings in a lot of external information to change the DPRK. By constantly recruiting overseas dispatches and continuously injecting them with external information..."]

They also emphasized that increasing support for defectors to live better, along with strengthening international pressure on the DPRK's human rights issues, is the path that leads to unification.

This is KBS News, Yang Min-cheol.