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Unification Minister Chung Dong-young delivers welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Peace Wind Week at the Office of Inter-Korean Dialogue in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 11. / Yonhap

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Sept. 11 that U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korea, “has a stronger commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula than any previous president.”

Chung made the remarks in an opening address at the launch ceremony of the 2026 Peace Wind Week at the Office of Inter-Korean Dialogue. He said Trump’s continued pursuit of talks with North Korea stems from his desire to leave a legacy, echoing comments by Georgetown University professor Charles Kupchan, who visited South Korea last month to attend the 2026 Global Korea Forum hosted by the Unification Ministry.

“President Trump has a dream of having his face carved into Mount Rushmore,” Chung said. “That is why he has continuously expressed interest and determination in U.S.-North Korea summit talks for the past decade, and we need to make use of this opportunity.”

Chung also described the North Korea policy of the Roh Tae-woo administration as “the most underrated among past governments,” saying the Lee Jae-myung administration is carrying forward Roh’s Nordpolitik.

He stressed that South Korea should use major diplomatic events in the second half of the year, including the U.N. General Assembly, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China and the U.S.-China summit, to advance discussions on establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

Meanwhile, the Unification Ministry will hold 2026 Peace Wind Week events from Sept. 11 through 21 at the Office of Inter-Korean Dialogue, as well as through local governments and civic groups across the country.

Around 50 people attended the opening ceremony, including Chung, Peaceful Unification Advisory Council Secretary-General Bang Yong-seung, the ministry’s director-general for unification policy, the head of the Korean Peninsula Peace Listening Group and participants in a youth talk concert. A “Peace Wind” talk concert was also held.

Participants toured the inter-Korean meeting venue with a guide and took part in programs including a tea-tasting session, making peace-themed diffusers, experiencing a DMZ “big game,” creating a peace tree and taking peace-themed photos.

                                                                                                            Mok Yong-jae