The Shameful Unification Budget of the South Korean Government

[정일영]

[The Korean Odyssey]

*Ribbons symbolizing hopes for Korean reunification are tied to the barbed wire along the Demilitarized Zone(DMZ) fence. @iStock

Il Young Jeong

Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University

With the arrival of autumn, the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea is in the process of reviewing the new year’s budget proposal. While our Constitution grants the government the authority to prepare and submit the national budget, it entrusts the National Assembly with the power to review and finalize it, ensuring that the budget can only be confirmed through the Assembly’s deliberation and resolution(Article 54 of the Constitution).

This article aims to critically examine the 2025 budget proposal of the Ministry of Unification and to suggest new, necessary initiatives.

The Ministry of Unification’s Distorted Budget, Losing Its Primary Role

The Ministry of Unification’s budget is, quite literally, distorted. The 2025 budget proposal amounts to a total of 1.054 trillion KRW, with 229.3 billion KRW allocated from the general budget and 826.1 billion KRW from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund. Excluding personnel and basic operating expenses, project funding within the general budget amounts to 167.6 billion KRW, of which 80.8 billion KRW—approximately 48%—is dedicated to supporting the resettlement of North Korean defectors.

Budget related to North Korean human rights is also substantial, set at 21.1 billion KRW, which represents about 13% of the total project funding. By category, this includes 18.2 billion KRW for building infrastructure to improve North Korean human rights, 1.5 billion KRW for fact-finding and restoring honor of abductees, and 1.5 billion KRW for support to separated families and victims of abduction. Including additional domestic and international initiatives aimed at establishing unification foundations with a focus on North Korean.

The Ministry of Unification's 2025 budget proposal reveals a significant imbalance in its allocation. Out of the total project budget of 167.6 billion KRW, only 6.8 billion KRW is designated for inter-Korean relations. When excluding the 5.6 billion KRW allocated for facility management of the Inter-Korean Relations Management Division, a mere 1.2 billion KRW remains for actual inter-Korean initiatives. This constitutes less than 1% of the total project budget, indicating a stark neglect of efforts to manage, let alone improve, inter-Korean relations.

According to the Government Organization Act, the Minister of Unification is responsible for "establishing policies related to unification and inter-Korean dialogue, exchange, and cooperation, unification education, and other affairs concerning unification" (Article 31). However, under the current administration, the Ministry appears to have shifted its focus predominantly towards North Korean human rights and support for defectors, deviating from its primary mandate.

The 2024 Unification Perception Survey by Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies indicates that 63.9% of the public believes the government's North Korea policy should aim for "peaceful coexistence and the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula." This suggests a significant disconnect between the administration's current approach and public sentiment.

Cut Down Showy, Event-Centered North Korean Human Rights Budget

In the Ministry of Unification's budget for next year, aside from funds allocated for North Korean defector resettlement and unification policy and education, a substantial portion is directed toward showy, superficial “North Korean human rights” projects. Notably, under the pretense of publicizing North Korean human rights issues, the ministry organizes large-scale domestic and international events and, through various support initiatives, lines up private organizations and research groups.

The key issue here is the absence of a clear, actionable plan within the ministry's budget to genuinely address or improve human rights in North Korea. While the Yoon administration has placed North Korean human rights at the forefront, no tangible results have emerged. Instead, funds are spent on flashy events and token support projects, merely proclaiming North Korea as one of the worst human rights violators without yielding substantive impact. For these reasons, budgets allocated to these event-oriented North Korean human rights projects should be significantly reduced.

The Ministry of Unification should stop wasting taxpayers’ money on merely vocalizing “North Korean human rights” through events and should instead reflect concrete actions in its budget. For example, it is necessary to develop various programs aimed at preventing human rights abuses against North Korean defectors in China’s Northeast provinces and supporting those affected. Even if the government does not take direct action, budgetary efforts should include collaborations with international organizations to address human rights violations.

The core issue is whether the Ministry of Unification should even be handling North Korean human rights issues. I have long argued for a change in the primary government agency responsible for this matter. The Ministry of Unification has North Korea as its counterpart, and a more strategic approach is essential for improving inter-Korean relations while also addressing human rights concerns. In the medium to long term, it would be beneficial to transfer the Ministry’s human rights responsibilities to the Ministry of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, enabling a more effective division of tasks.

A New Budget for Healing Residents in Inter-Korean Border Areas is Needed

In October, during the National Assembly’s Defense Committee audit, a resident from Ganghwa County in Incheon testified to the disruption caused by the noise of North Korea’s propaganda broadcasts. This resident, appearing as a witness, lamented, “It’s impossible to live a normal life due to North Korea’s broadcast noise,” and, “My children cannot even play outdoors or sleep properly.” Despite this resident’s heartfelt plea, even kneeling in the hearing room, the government has yet to propose any solutions.

The Ministry of Unification should stop wasting the budget on superficial North Korean human rights events and instead listen to the pleas of our citizens suffering in border areas. A new budget should be allocated to alleviate the distress of these residents. What is the purpose of hosting North Korean human rights events while remaining silent on the human rights of South Korean?

The National Assembly must also seek solutions during the budget review process to help border-area residents swiftly return to a normal life. Primarily, it should provide support for noise prevention facilities to minimize the impact of North and South propaganda broadcasts on these residents. Additionally, there is a need for programs aimed at alleviating the psychological distress of affected residents, offering healing and relief to those enduring these hardships.

The Need to Increase the Budget for Inter-Korean Cultural Integration Programs

We often refer to North Korean defectors as the "guests of unification who arrived first." The Yoon administration has also emphasized support for the resettlement of defectors, even establishing "North Korean Defectors’ Day.“

However, North Korea’s continued provocations, along with the administration’s hardline policy, have worsened public perceptions of North Korean defectors. According to the 2024 Unification Perception Survey by Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies, 30.6% of respondents reported feeling “uncomfortable” with defectors, a significantly higher percentage than the 17.5% who felt “comfortable.”

This negative perception is likely not unrelated to the hardships faced by residents in border areas, exacerbated by the activities of certain anti-North Korean organizations, such as balloon leaflet campaigns. Nonetheless, most North Korean defectors are dedicated members of our community, striving daily to integrate into society.

According to the 2024 Unification Perception Survey by the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies, South Koreans who have had the experience of meeting North Korean defectors tend to feel a greater sense of familiarity and hold more accepting attitudes toward them. In this regard, the Inter-Korean Integration Culture Center, operated under the Ministry of Unification, has long provided programs that foster mutual communication and healing between South Korean residents and North Korean defectors.

For the upcoming year, the Inter-Korean Integration Culture Center's operational budget is set at 3.3 billion KRW. Rather than spending on divisive or superficial events that may exacerbate internal conflicts, the Ministry should consider significantly increasing the budget for the Inter-Korean Integration Culture Center to support meaningful integration initiatives.

Since the inauguration of the Yoon administration, the Ministry of Unification has been drifting, having lost its original identity. The National Assembly should actively use its budget review and approval authority to help the Ministry of Unification regain its foundational identity and purpose.

*IL-Young Jeong is a research professor at Sogang University in Seoul. His key research interests include North Korea's social control system, inter-Korean relations, and peace on the Korean Peninsula.