Unification Minister Chung Dong-young urged North Korea to rejoin the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI).
Chung made the remarks during a special address on "The Path to Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and Common Prosperity in Northeast Asia" at the opening ceremony of the 11th Ulaanbaatar Northeast Asia Security Dialogue, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on the 4th. "For the future of the GTI, I propose two initiatives: cooperation on the 'Arctic Sea Route' and the 'Seoul-Beijing high-speed rail link,'" Chung said. "If GTI member states work together, we will be able to connect regional railway networks such as the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR), the Trans-China Railway (TCR), the Trans-Mongolian Railway (TMGR), and the Seoul-Beijing high-speed rail with the Arctic Sea Route." Through this, he explained, an innovative logistics network could be established across Eurasia.
"To turn these initiatives into reality, I urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to rejoin the GTI as a full member," Chung said. "The success of these initiatives depends on the DPRK's re-engagement, and they will be the greatest beneficiaries." DPRK is the official state name North Korea has claimed and the name used by the international community.
Chung also added, "If the three pillars of rebuilding trust between South and North Korea, institutionalizing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, and advancing multilateral dialogue in Northeast Asia move forward in unison, we can build a new peace order across Northeast Asia." He added, "Our path toward a new peace order can bring about common growth in Northeast Asia."
The GTI is a multilateral cooperation project aimed at jointly developing the Tumen River area bordering Russia, China, and North Korea, along with surrounding regions, into a hub for international logistics, trade, and tourism. It was launched in the 1990s as the Tumen River Area Development Programme (TRADP), led by the United Nations Development Programme, and was elevated to the GTI in 2005. Korea, China, Russia, and Mongolia currently participate.
North Korea was a member state at the time of its launch but withdrew in 2009, expressing dissatisfaction with international sanctions against it. Since then, member states have been urging North Korea to rejoin the GTI. China and Russia also reaffirmed their willingness to expand GTI-related cooperation through a summit last month.
