Edwin Feulner, founder of the U.S. think tank The Heritage Foundation, speaks during a joint interview with local media outlets in Seoul, Saturday. Newsis

North Koreans are growing increasingly dissatisfied with their leadership and admire the democracy and economic success enjoyed by South Koreans, according to Edwin Feulner, founder of the U.S. think tank The Heritage Foundation, Saturday.

Feulner, who referred to the North Korean regime as a "prison north of the 38th parallel," said North Koreans are deprived of basic physical needs and the ability to freely express themselves or believe in their own set of values.

"People in the DPRK, I think, are increasingly aware of the disadvantage they have from their current political leadership, and we have been hearing from defectors from the DPRK just how bad the situation is and as to how many more North Koreans are unhappy with that situation," Feulner said during a joint interview with local media in Seoul. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

The interview took place during his participation in the International Forum on One Korea, co-hosted by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), Action for Korea United, and the One Korea Foundation.

Feulner went on to say that North Korean citizens are looking at South Korea and observing what free people can achieve, not only through economic activity but also through civil society's ability to address social issues.

While Feulner did not specify how exactly change might unfold in the reclusive regime, he emphasized the belief among South Koreans that their system, supported by churches and private organizations, could ultimately lead to change.

In this context, he hailed President Yoon Suk Yeol's Aug. 15 Unification Doctrine as a "straightforward and candid assessment" of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula. A key pillar of Yoon's unification doctrine is its strong emphasis on inducing change within the Kim Jong-un regime and the people of North Korea through rigorous diplomacy with the international community.

"I hope that this is a view shared widely among (South) Korean people. I know, of course, about political differences and other things, but I think the notion of peaceful reunification and encouraging that among all levels of society here is very, very important," Feulner said.

Feulner also positively assessed the bolstered trilateral cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. He expressed hope that this momentum would continue even after the upcoming leadership change in Washington to counter the "prospective danger" from China.

"I have my own personal political views, but one of the things that I am very encouraged by is that under both former President Trump and current President Biden, the importance of both the bilateral U.S.-South Korea relationship and the trilateral relationship between the U.S., Korea and Japan has been emphasized," he said.

Commenting on Japan's new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, who was elected Friday, Feulner said he believed Ishiba would help maintain the momentum, saying, "I've never had the honor of meeting the new prime minister, but I believe he shares very much the views that his predecessor had, who signed the Camp David Accords."

He highlighted that The Heritage Foundation will continue to promote the benefits of the South Korea-U.S. bilateral relationship to policymakers in Washington, including senators, congressmen and local government officials.

Later in the day, Feulner attended the Korean Dream Unification Practice March at Imjingak, Paju, where he delivered a congratulatory speech.

"It seems to me that at this time, the prospects for Korean unification are stronger than they ever have been…I feel very happy and honored to be invited and to be a part of this commemoration to look forward to better days ahead in terms of a unified Korea," he said when asked about his attendance at the march.

The march, which gathered around 30,000 participants, including politicians, prominent scholars, civic activists, and members of the public, aimed to highlight the vision of Korean unification as a grassroots movement rather than political ideologies.

According to the organizers, participants marched a two-kilometer route near the DMZ. The main event featured a keynote speech by Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of the GPF, who outlined his vision for the "Korean Dream" of pursuing a free and peaceful unified Korea. The event also included cultural performances such as singing by North Korean defectors and a taekwondo demonstration.