Lee Jae-myung Proposes Bold Initiatives to North Korea for Joint Quarantine and Flood Recovery Support

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun] Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province urged positive response from North Korea to five proposals including joint quarantine and flood recovery support at the '2020 DMZ Forum' held on the 17th, stating "Gyeonggi Province will make its best efforts to usher in an era of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula."

In his keynote speech, Governor Lee said "COVID-19 has completely changed our daily lives. We are realizing how precious are the things we took for granted and passed by without thought," and added "What we can do now is to make every possible effort to reclaim our daily lives. The same is true for peace."
He continued, "Now we must make peace not passive and unstable, but active and permanent, a part of our daily lives. In that foundation, achieving prosperity is what we must do right now."
Governor Lee recalled President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong-un's 'Walking Bridge' talks and the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, emphasizing the Moon Jae-in administration's efforts and achievements for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
He then stated "Although we created peace in that way, it was not easy to protect it," and "We cannot give up. If it is the right path, we must move forward despite trials and hardships," expressing his will for peace settlement.

In particular, Governor Lee said "Gyeonggi Province is the largest local government of the Republic of Korea embracing the DMZ and is most greatly affected by inter-Korean relations," explaining "That is why we have a grave sense of mission and responsibility in the development of inter-Korean relations." He explained Gyeonggi Province's position as the center of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
He then stated "Through inter-Korean exchanges, we want to restore trust, settle peace, and move toward the path of prosperity. We believe this is beneficial to both North and South Korea. Through this occasion, I propose several cooperation projects to North Korea."
The five cooperation projects proposed by Governor Lee are ▲joint South-North quarantine and medical cooperation ▲Imjin River water system management cooperation ▲joint South-North survey and research of border area projects ▲joint South-North forest restoration and rural comprehensive development ▲flood recovery support to North Korea.
First, Governor Lee said "As seen in African swine fever and COVID-19, infectious diseases cannot be stopped by borders. To prevent damage and ensure the safety of all, we must establish a joint South-North quarantine cooperation system," proposing the establishment of a 'South-North Joint Medical, Health and Quarantine Center' in the Gaeseong-Gaepung area.
Second, he proposed the establishment of a 'South-North Water System Management Organization' to prevent flooding and implement integrated water management. Governor Lee explained "This will greatly help the South prevent flood damage and the North prevent water shortages and resolve electricity shortages."
Third, he said "Now is the time to resume joint Han River estuary surveys between South and North and implement the West Sea Economic Joint Special Zone project in accordance with mutual agreement," and emphasized "Also, we must conduct surveys and research to develop a peace park where South and North can freely come and go by connecting Gaeseong and Panmunjom within the Demilitarized Zone."
Fourth, mentioning that Gyeonggi Province recently became the first local government to receive UN sanctions exemption approval for nursery establishment materials and smart greenhouses, he said "With sanctions concerns gone, let us resume discussions on establishing nurseries in Gaeseong and creating rural demonstration villages."
Fifth, he said "I understand that North Korea's damage from recent successive typhoons is also severe. When we suffered flooding in 1984, North Korea also provided relief supplies unconditionally," expressing Gyeonggi Province's intention to participate unconditionally in flood recovery support projects to North Korea to the extent possible.
Finally, Governor Lee said "Gyeonggi Province is ready to dialogue anytime and anywhere. Since North Korea's participation is essential to realize the five proposals, we hope for bold determination," and asked "We urge the National Assembly to promptly handle pending matters such as enacting a law banning anti-North leaflets and ratifying the South-North summit declaration to demonstrate our will for peace cooperation."

The forum, to be held online on the 17th-18th under the theme 'The DMZ Wants Peace,' will proceed with ▲planning sessions ▲peace movement cooperation sessions ▲special sessions ▲invitation sessions with the participation of domestic and international scholars, experts, peace NGOs including peace activist Leymah Gbowee from Liberia and Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard University, an authority on international relations.
On the 17th, the 'Planning Session' addressing the value and preservation of the DMZ, and the 'Invitation Session' conducted by the Institute for Patriotic Education and Research and the North Korea Science and Technology Research Center on the Korean Peninsula Peace Theory from the perspective of North Korean women researchers and science and technology cooperation with North Korea, as well as the 'Special Session' addressing the peaceful use of the Han River estuary, were held successfully.
On the 18th, the 'Peace Movement Cooperation Session' jointly hosted by the Northeast Asia Peace and Economic Association and the Korean Peninsula Armistice and Peace Campaign will take place. At this session, Lee Hae-chan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northeast Asia Peace and Economic Association, is scheduled to emphasize the importance of inter-Korean cooperation through a video special lecture. Following this, a 'Special Session' on the theme of 'Denuclearization and Korean Peninsula Peace System' co-chaired by Special Envoy for Unification, Diplomacy and Security Moon Chung-in and former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Kathleen Stephens, as well as a 'Comprehensive Discussion' to conclude the forum will also be provided.

At the DMZ Forum, visitors can enjoy related content including session viewing by accessing the official website (www.dmzforum.or.kr).