Minister of Unification

Ministry of Unification

통일부 統一部 Tong-il-bu
Emblem of the Ministry of Unification
The main building of Central Government Complex location of the MOU
Agency overview
Formed	March 1, 1969 (1969-03-01)
Preceding	National Unification Board (1969-1998)
Jurisdiction	Republic of Korea
Headquarters	Jongno-gu, Seoul 37°34′29.586″N 126°58′32.632″E / 37.57488500°N 126.97573111°E / 37.57488500; 126.97573111
Minister responsible	Hong Yong-pyo, Minister of Unification
Deputy Minister responsible	Kim Hyungseok, Vice Minister of Unification
Parent agency	Government of South Korea
Child agencies	Office of Inter-Korean Dialogue Institute for Unification Education Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Consultation Office Office of South-North Joint Committee for Gaeseong Industrial Complex Center for Unified Korean Future Information Center on North Korea
Website	eng.unikorea.go.kr (English) www.unikorea.go.kr/main.do (Korean)
Map
Ministry of Unification (Seoul)

The Ministry of Unification is an executive department of the South Korean government aimed at promoting Korean reunification. It was first established in 1969 as the National Unification Board, under the rule of Park Chung-hee. It gained its current status in 1998 and has played a major role in promoting inter-Korean dialogues, and exchanges and cooperation.

Under previous minister Yu Woo-ik, the ministry consisted of one office for planning and coordination; three bureaus for unification policy, inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, and humanitarian cooperation; one special bureau for the Gaeseong Industrial Complex project; and five affiliated agencies on unification education, inter-Korean dialogue, transit between the South and the North, settlement support for dislocated North Koreans and inter-Korean consultations on exchanges and cooperation. However, in 2008, the ministry was significantly downsized as part of an efficiency restructuring of government.

The current minister is Hong Yong-pyo, a former adviser to the President on North Korea, was sworn into office on 16 March 2015. Its headquarters are on the third and fourth floors of the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno District, Seoul.

The ministry's aims as of 2008 were:

According to the Ministry website, its major duties are as follows:

The Hong Yong-pyo administration is guided by four principles: a balanced approach; North Korea policy that evolves over time; and cooperation with the international community.