World Taekwondo Executive Deputy Secretary General Kim Eil-chul gives a special lecture at the College of Human Ecology building at Seoul National University (SNU) in Seoul, Wednesday. Attendees included SNU Vice President for Research Affairs Noh Dong-young and College of Human Ecology Associate Dean Kwon Young-hye. Korea Times photo by Jung Min-ho

By Jung Min-ho

Unification should not be a government goal, but rather a consequence the people of South and North Korea can expect and hope for from their exchanges and cooperation, an international sports organization executive said.

During a special lecture at Seoul National University on Wednesday, World Taekwondo (WT) Executive Deputy Secretary General Kim Eil-chul said promoting unification as a lofty goal of the government is hindering ― not helping ― the process.

"For unification, let's not talk about unification for now because it is not the time," Kim said. "I believe the word (unification) has violent connotations … Imagine unifying vastly different countries when they are not ready. The peaceful kind of unification that we all want will take time. In that sense, the government needs to change the name of the Ministry of Unification and redefine its roles to something like the Ministry of Inter-Korean Cooperation."

In the 1950s, unification with the hostile North was a military goal of South Korea. But in the 1960s and '70s, it turned into a political project governed by the ministry. But trying to find a political solution has proved extremely difficult, if not impossible. This is why he thinks a political approach should be the last ― not the first ― step in the process.

"If history is any guide, government-led unification efforts carry big risks," Kim said. "One of the obvious risks is transfer of political power from one party to another, which always leads to change of the ministry's officials and policies. This explains why, at one point, we feel that unification may be just around the corner and then realize that we are back at square one.

"The government should allow more non-governmental exchanges, which can keep Koreans in the South and North close, even at a time of political crisis."

Athletes from World Taekwondo and the International Taekwondo Federation celebrate their successful joint performance at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland, April 12 (local time). Courtesy of World Taekwondo

Sports can play a bigger role