54,000 Previously Restricted Presidential Records Declassified, Including Hwang Jang-yop Asylum Letter and Other Diplomatic Correspondence

[Financial News]
For the first time, the government has released personal letters exchanged between former President Kim Young-sam and Chinese President Jiang Zemin aimed at promoting friendship between the two countries, along with messages of condolence over earthquake damage in China and a personal letter regarding the handling of the high-profile defection of former Workers' Party of Korea Secretary Hwang Jang-yop.
The Presidential Archives under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) announced on the 27th that it will reclassify about 54,000 presidential records, previously kept confidential for reasons such as national security and policy sensitivity, and make them public.
The records being released were selected from among the "2025 public reclassification" confidential materials and were approved for disclosure after review by the Presidential Records Management Expert Committee. They include key documents produced during the administrations of Kim Young-sam, Lee Myung-bak, and Park Geun-hye.
The list of records reclassified for public access will be available from the 28th on the Presidential Archives official website.
Many of the materials to be disclosed are diplomatic letters containing close exchanges between heads of state and reports that reveal how major national policies were decided, giving them high historical value.
In particular, major diplomatic records include letters exchanged between former President Kim Young-sam and Chinese President Jiang Zemin to promote friendship between the two nations.
One of these personal letters was sent by Kim Young-sam to Jiang Zemin on March 19, 1997. In it, Kim expresses his appreciation for the Chinese government’s cooperation and consideration in ensuring that the defection of former Secretary Hwang Jang-yop was resolved smoothly in accordance with international law and practice.
At the time, the fact that the letter had been delivered and some of its main points were reported in the media, but the full text is being made public for the first time through this reclassification.
In the letter, Kim wrote, "Regarding the incident on February 12, when former Workers' Party of Korea Secretary Hwang Jang-yop and his party visited our embassy in Beijing to request asylum, the governments of our two countries held close consultations based on the spirit of friendly cooperation," adding, "As a result, their departure was arranged in accordance with international law and international practice, and the matter was resolved smoothly. I am pleased with this outcome and would like to express my deep appreciation for the Chinese government’s cooperation and consideration."
In the policy field, the materials to be released include core reports and meeting records that show how the foundations of state governance were laid, such as the Lee Myung-bak administration’s "National Symbol Street Development Plan" and the Park Geun-hye administration’s "Presidential Transition Committee work reports."
Cho Sang-min, Acting Director of the Presidential Archives, stated, "The presidential records being released this time will be crucial in helping us understand past conversations between heads of state and the processes behind major policy decisions," and added, "We will continue to expand the reclassification of confidential records to public status in order to enhance transparency in state affairs."

ktitk@fnnews.com Kim Tae-kyung Reporter