South Korea’s unification and defense ministries have scaled back language targeting North Korea in their 2025 work plans, downplaying President Yoon Suk-yeol’s hallmark policies like “freedom-based unification” amid his ongoing impeachment trial.

In a list of policy objectives unveiled Friday, the unification ministry emphasized the goal of “stable management of the Korean Peninsula situation and establishing a foundation for unification,” a shift from 2024’s main goal of building a “free and peaceful unified Korean Peninsula.”

The changes appear to reflect a ministry effort to distance itself from Yoon’s more controversial policies ahead of his likely removal from office, which would