Mr Chung Dong-young, South Korea’s Minister of Unification, visited Derry and Belfast on 29 and 30 September 2026. The purpose of the visit was to learn from the Irish experience of peacemaking and to explain the government’s approach to peaceful coexistence with North Korea. Dr Dong Jin Kim and Dr David Mitchell accompanied the group on its engagements.
In Derry, Minister Chung met with Mark Durkan, a key architect of the Good Friday Agreement, while Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Steve Aiken, welcomed the Minister at Stormont. The delegation also toured the two cities, witnessing legacies of conflict as well as positive signs of peace and transformation.
Visits planned in Dublin, including a speech to students at Trinity’s Society for International Affairs and the School of Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies, were unfortunately cancelled when the Minister had to return home early to respond to political events in Korea.