Unification Minister Kwon Young-se has reiterated that the Yoon Suk Yeol government is not seeking the unification of the two Koreas by absorption.

Kwon revealed such views when he appeared on a local cable TV program on Wednesday and talked about Yoon's remarks made last Friday that unification of the Korean Peninsula should be pursued with a focus on South Korea’s system.  

The minister said unification by absorption does not consider the other society's willingness, adding that the South will pursue a free and peaceful unification based on the people’s will.  

Kwon stressed that no past administration has ever called for the unification of the two Koreas via absorption, adding that the Yoon government is no different.  

Using “mergers and acquisitions” as a metaphor, Kwon said the unification the government would be pursuing is more of a merger than an acquisition. 

He said that such a “merger” would be carried out peacefully based on the basic principles of liberal democracy.