2014 MOFA Policy Briefing to President Park Geun-hye

On the morning of February 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, jointly with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, presented to President Park Geun-hye at the Ministry of National Defense its 2014 policy briefing on "trustpolitik for peaceful reunification" aimed at laying the groundwork for an era of a reunified Korean Peninsula.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se set out the following three basic directions for the pursuit of the "trustpolitik for peaceful reunification" aimed at ushering in a new era on the Korean Peninsula: (A) establishing sustainable peace (B) inducing North Korea to change through international cooperation and (C) laying a firmer foundation for international support for reunification.

By carrying out strategic tasks tailored to the three aforementioned goals, the Foreign Ministry will:
● consolidate its cooperative network to firmly maintain stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula;
● induce North Korea to change; and
● proactively seek to secure and broaden support in the international community for the envisioned peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula. 


(A) Establishing sustainable peace



Minister Yun assessed that in the midst of growing uncertainty and unpredictability of the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea holds on to its parallel pursuit of nuclear arsenal and economic development and continues to build up its nuclear capabilities while showing off a charm offensive. He briefed that the Foreign Ministry, drawing upon the firm cooperative network established with the US, China and other key partners through summit diplomacy and strategic cooperation, will build a system for firmly deterring and responding to provocations from North Korea and seek tangible progress toward the denuclearization of North Korea.

As part of efforts to deter and respond to provocations from North Korea, the Foreign Ministry will:
● work to deter North Korea from carrying out provocations on special occasions;
● upgrade comprehensive, strategic cooperation on North Korea, including at the levels of the Presidents and the Foreign Ministers as well as the Foreign and Defense Ministers (2+2) of the ROK and the US;
● strengthen comprehensive strategic dialogue with China;
● build a multi-layered response system with the ROK's key partners, including Russia, Japan, the EU and ASEAN and
● in the event of a provocation from North Korea, seek tailored responses by the UN Security Council.

With regard to the denuclearization of North Korea, the Foreign Ministry, through a Principled and Effective Two-track Approach (PETA), will:
● consolidate international unity in not tolerating a nuclear North Korea, including by securing even more solid support from Russia and China;
● continue to put pressure on North Korea through the UN Security Council and bilateral sanctions; and
● enhance the policy consensus among the other five members of the Six-Party Talks in order to prompt North Korea to take sincere actions toward denuclearization and hold denuclearization talks in a principled manner.

By doing so, the Ministry will seek to stop North Korea from building up its nuclear capabilities and induce it to abandon its nuclear ambitions.


(B) Inducing North Korea to change through international cooperation



Minister Yun stated that the Foreign Ministry will redouble its efforts to work with the international community to induce North Korea to change and participate in the international community as a responsible member. These efforts will include deepening the international consensus and reinforcing relevant cooperative networks on the need for changes in North Korea and to accelerate them and fostering conditions conducive to such changes.

As part of these efforts, the Ministry will:
● upgrade strategic cooperation with the key countries concerned, including the US, China, Russia, the EU and ASEAN, and seek their stronger support for the Trust-building Process on the Korean Peninsula;
● make progress on cooperation projects and hold high-level consultations under the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative;
● pursue the Rajin-Hassan logistics project and others under the Eurasia Initiative;
● seek international cooperation with foreign NGOs; and
● continue to work to improve the human rights situation in North Korea and maintain humanitarian aid projects for the North.

(C) Laying a firmer foundation for international support for reunification

With regard to securing stronger international support for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula in the mid to long term, Minister Yun noted that an international consensus on peaceful reunification was formed with the ROK’s key partners, including the US and China, last year through summit diplomacy. He also noted that the international community’s interest in the value of investing in a reunified Korea is growing. With that in mind, the Minister briefed that the Foreign Ministry will work to lay a firmer foundation for both political and economic support from the international community for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

To this end, the Ministry will:
● step up discussions and strategic dialogue with the ROK’s key partners on reunification;
● strengthen the pro-reunification networks with other middle power countries and friends including MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey, and Australia);
● launch a network with 21 foreign diplomatic missions, tentatively referred to as the "Peninsula Club," that are based in Seoul, but also accredited to North Korea;
● conduct pro-reunification public diplomacy and spread the idea of the reunification as a "huge bonanza";
● establish a global pro-reunification network of overseas Koreans;
● pursue Green Détente initiative with North Korea;
● carry out economic diplomacy with the aim of strengthening capabilities for reunification; and
● pave the way for mid- to long-term cooperation with international organizations for the development of North Korea, whilst also taking into account the security situation.

Following the briefing to the President, key relevant officials from the Foreign Ministry and other relevant government agencies, together with some citizens, engaged in in-depth discussions on the "ROK’s challenges on the way to peace and the reunification of the Korean Peninsula." In addition, presentations were made on ways to step up international cooperation in preparation for a reunified Korean Peninsula, including cooperation with neighboring countries to spread a deeper pro-reunification consensus.

The Foreign Ministry, based on its policy priorities for the year 2014, will actively conduct: peace-building diplomacy through expanding its networks of trust; diplomacy to induce North Korea to change, in cooperation with the international community; and diplomacy to prepare for a reunification that wins international blessing.

*Source: http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/