Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung makes an announcement on North Korea's decision to pull its staff from the inter-Korean liaison office, Friday. / Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

The foreign and unification ministries are under criticism for failing to take initiatives on North Korea policy in line with President Moon Jae-in's vision as "mediator" between the United States and the North.

Critics say the two ministries remain low key and their roles are limited to merely assisting Cheong Wa Dae, which they claim to be controlling many tasks originally belonging to relevant ministries.

They also say the situation is getting worse with Moon's credibility as the U.S.-North Korean intermediary on the line, following the summit collapse between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong-un in late February and the North's withdrawal of its staff from the inter-Korean liaison office, last week.

The two Koreas opened a joint liaison office in Gaeseong, North Korea in September 2018 as part of reconciliatory efforts. The North pulled its officials in what was seen as a protest against the summit breakdown in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Cheong Wa Dae abruptly convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Council. However, the presidential office has not announced how it will cope with the crisis.

"Under this administration, there are so many cases in which the work of Cheong Wa Dae and those of ministries overlap. And this of course includes foreign and unification ministries," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University. "Such circumstance is hampering the two ministries from taking initiatives in North Korea policy."

Not surprisingly, the Ministry of Unification, which made the announcement over the North's withdrawal, said it finds Pyongyang's measure "regretful." Also, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not announced its responding measures.