South and North civic organizations agree on large-scale “all Korean events” for National Foundation Day in October

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South Korean committee for implementing June 15 declaration pushes for inter-Korean exchange

The South Korean Committee for Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration, a private group focusing on inter-Korean social and cultural exchange, announced plans to hold large-scale “all-Korean events” with North Korea and overseas Koreans to celebrate National Foundation Day (Oct. 3) and the 11th anniversary of the October 4 Declaration of 2007 this year and the centennial of the March 1 Independence Movement next year.

During a press conference at its office in Seoul’s Jongno district on June 25, the South Korean Committee explained the outcome of meetings in Pyongyang on June 20–21 among the South and North Korean and overseas chairpeople for the All-Korean Committee for Implementation of the June 15 Declaration.

Standing chairman Lee Chang-bok and other representatives South Korean Committee visited Pyongyang on June 20–23 at the head of a 15-member delegation to attend the meeting of South and North Korean and overseas chairpersons. It was the first visit to North Korea by a private group for social and cultural exchange purposes since President Moon Jae-in took office.

South and North Korean and overseas representatives of the All-Korean Committee for Implementation of the June 15 Declaration pose for a commemorative photograph after their meetings on June 20-21 in Pyongyang. (provided by the South Korean Committee for Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration)

In a statement on the outcome of the meeting, the South Korean committee said that it “plans to promote a pan-national climate for implementation of the Panmunjeom Declaration by holding large-scale all-Korean events with participants from all walks of life for the 11th anniversary of the October 4 Declaration, National Foundation Day, and the March 1 Independent Movement centennial.”

“In addition to unified football matches by South and North Korean workers, we plan to actively pursue travel, meetings, and united activities between South and North Korean and overseas groups representing different strata, sectors, and regions,” it said, adding that plans had been made to “discuss joint national events for Aug. 15 [National Liberation Day] after observing the situation going ahead.”

The South Korean committee further stated plans to “designate the period between the anniversaries of the July 4 Joint Communique [of 1972] and the October 4 Joint Declaration as an ‘Apr. 27 Panmunjeom Declaration implementation campaign period,’ with various activities including a commemorative badge-wearing and Korean Peninsula flag-raising campaign.”

A two-day chairperson’s meeting was held in Pyongyang on June 21–22, with officials attending from the South and North Korean and overseas Committees for Implementation of the June 15 Declaration. The event was attended by chairman Pak Myong-chol and other representatives from the North Korean Committee, along with chairman Son Hyeong-geun and a delegation from the overseas committee. Areas discussed during the meeting included the individual committee’s roles and tasks with regard to implementing the Panmunjeom Declaration; the organizing of large-scale all-Korean events for Aug. 15, Oct. 4, and the Mar. 1 centennial; and plans for increased exchange and cooperation in various sectors including labor and religion and by farmers, young people and students, and women, the South Korean Committee said.

By Noh Ji-won, staff reporter

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