Key facts
- Prime Minister nominee Han Seong-sook described North Korea as both a threat and a compatriot.
- Han stated that anything threatening South Korea is considered an enemy.
- She emphasized the importance of managing relations with North Korea for peace.
- Han affirmed that peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is a shared objective.
- She stated that war on the peninsula must be avoided.
Prime Minister nominee Han Seong-sook stated that North Korea is both "a threat and a compatriot" when asked to define South Korea's main enemy. During her parliamentary confirmation hearing on Thursday, Han emphasized that the key lies in how to manage relations with the North to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula.
"All that threaten the Republic of Korea is our enemy," Han said in response to a question from opposition lawmakers. She elaborated on the dualistic nature of the situation, describing North Korea as "both a threat and a compatriot." Han also stated that peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is an objective everyone can agree on and that managing relations with North Korea is crucial. She concluded by asserting that war on the peninsula must never occur.