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We reported earlier this month that inter-Korean trade to barter North Korean liquor and South Korean sugar was being promoted. Some brakes were put on the ground as one of the North Korean companies to deal with was criticized as being'subject to UN sanctions'.

Ahn Jung-sik is a reporter specializing in North Korea.

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Civil trade between North and South Korea to barter 35 kinds of North Korean liquor and 167 tons of South Korean sugar.

If successful, it is the first inter-Korean trade to take place after the 5·24 sanctions against North Korea following the Cheonan incident, but controversy arose as it was pointed out that the Kaesong Korea Ginseng Trading Company, one of the North Korean business partners, was subject to UN sanctions.

On the 24th, the National Assembly also pointed out this problem and the ruling and opposition lawmakers said that the Ministry of Unification announced its intention to withdraw the business.

[Kim Byung-ki/Deuteronomy Democratic Party Member, Ha Tae-kyung/Future Integration Party Member: (The barter exchange project promoted by the Ministry of Unification is completely abolished?) It was withdrawn. It should be said that.] The

Ministry of Unification, however, said that it had never said that it was withdrawn through clarification data.

Vice Minister for Unification Seoho, who attended the meeting, also explained that he only gave a fundamental answer that if the sanctions were violated, it would be difficult to promote the project.

Officially, it is the Ministry of Unification's position that it is still in discussions, but the internal atmosphere is negative.

An official from the Ministry of Unification said that there are a lot of issues raised and whether there is a need to pursue work.

It is known that the Ministry of Unification will continue to exchange barter with other North Korean companies, except for the Gaeseong Korea Ginseng Trading Company, which is controversial in sanctions.

Unification Minister Lee In-young has been emphasizing that he will continue to pursue small trades to open the door to inter-Korean relations. As seen in this controversy, inter-Korean relations do not seem to be easy to cross the sanctions framework.

(Video editing: Seungyeol Lee)