2026 budget for inter-Korean cooperative projects restored to over 1 trillion won
Published: 03 Dec. 2025, 12:50
Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 18:02
![The Ministry of Unification's emblem [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/03/33687f75-9c53-4674-9cef-b8bf3fa14502.jpg)
The Ministry of Unification's emblem [YONHAP]
The Ministry of Unification's 2026 budget to fund cooperative projects with North Korea has topped 1 trillion won ($681.4 million), marking the first time in three years that it has surpassed the level, officials said Wednesday.
The previous day, the National Assembly passed next year's budget of 727.9 trillion won, including 1.24 trillion won allocated to the Unification Ministry, up 20.9 percent from this year's budget.
Of the ministry budget, just north of 1 trillion won is earmarked for the inter-Korean cooperation fund, marking the first time in three years that the fund has recovered the 1 trillion won level as the government seeks to revive long-dormant inter-Korean exchanges and economic projects.
Next year's budget also includes a project to build a "center for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula" in Seoul, aimed at promoting public awareness of inter-Korean exchanges and peace with Pyongyang.
A total of 12.3 billion won has been allotted for the project next year, with a combined 39.6 billion won to be invested through 2030.
Under next year's ministry budget, 480 million won will also be allocated to a separate project to develop a tourist zone along the demilitarized zone bisecting the peninsula, with a broader goal of eventually turning it into an inter-Korean cooperative area, according to ministry officials.
Renewing his peace overtures toward North Korea, President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday proposed restoring communication channels with the country, describing it as a starting point for peaceful coexistence.
Pyongyang, however, has remained unresponsive to Seoul's repeated dialogue proposals.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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