Luncheon Speech by H.E. YU Myung-Hwan
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The University of North Korean Studies
and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

May 1, 2008

1. Introduction

President Park Jae Kyu of Kyungnam University, Dr. Samuel Wells, Jr., Associate Director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center, Distinguished Scholars,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here today on this meaningful occasion commemorating the 10th anniversary of the University of North Korean Studies. I believe the University of North Korean Studies, as it has done for the past decade, will continue to develop the active role it plays in the study of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

Given the recent events relating to the North Korean nuclear issue and inter-Korean relations, it is indeed timely that the University of North Korean Studies should host this international conference on the topic of “Peace on the Korean Peninsula and the Security Environment in Northeast Asia”.

2. Security Environment in Northeast Asia and Our Goals

Home to one quarter of the world’s population and accounting for 22 percent of global production, Northeast Asia is one of the main pillars of global peace and prosperity. However, unlike in Europe or Southeast Asia, the concept of Northeast Asia as a distinct region working together for global prosperity and stability is not a familiar one. Perhaps this is because over the past century the countries of Northeast Asia have experienced conflicts resulting from differing beliefs, values, and political systems. Now, when little traces of the Cold War are found in other parts of the world, Northeast Asia has yet to overcome the legacy of the Cold-War confrontation. The level of regional cooperation, of course, remains quite low.  We need to create and fortify a trend of regional cooperation in Northeast Asia, so that this region can fulfill its share of responsibility in the efforts to build a more peaceful and affluent world.

The new Korean administration led by President Lee Myung-bak clearly recognizes that there is a role for the Korean Peninsula to play in this task, and has presented a concrete vision toward accomplishing this goal. Today, I would like to share with you this vision of peace we have for the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
 Our vision of peace is two-fold: first, we need to create a peace structure on the Korean Peninsula, and second, we will seek to contribute to building a cooperation mechanism in Northeast Asia.

3. Creating a Peace Structure on the Korean Peninsula

Let me first discuss the task of creating a peace structure on the Korean Peninsula.
Peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is an essential factor in building a peaceful and prosperous Northeast Asian community. The Lee Myung-bak administration will work to eliminate risk factors in the security of the Korean Peninsula, such as the North Korean nuclear issue, and go further to create a sustainable peace structure on the Peninsula.

Resolving the North Korean nuclear issue is the primary and most immediate task for peace on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s nuclear programs have been a cause of serious concern for the international community, but it is in fact North Korea itself that is affected the most.  By pursuing nuclear programs, North Korea is turning away from a chance for a better future.

North Korea’s nuclear programs have raised concerns about nuclear proliferation in Northeast Asia and other parts of the world as well. They may possibly trigger a chain of nuclear development programs by other countries in the region, and also aggravate concerns over the proliferation of nuclear technology.

The Six-Party Talks are now at a crucial stage as the question arises of whether and when we can advance to the next phase of nuclear dismantlement. In cooperation with other participants in the Six-Party Talks, my government will muster all its strength to induce North Korea to implement nuclear dismantlement.

North Korea should now abandon the argument that its nuclear programs are needed to counter the nuclear threat posed by the United States. The efforts of the international community to persuade it out of its nuclear programs should not be taken as a show of hostility. We hope that North Korea will accept the sincere advice of the international community that abandoning nuclear programs is in North Korea’s own benefit.

Resolving the North Korean nuclear issue is a requisite, but not a sufficient condition, for peace on the Korean Peninsula. My government will go beyond resolving the nuclear issue and help North Korea to overcome its economic difficulties.

The new administration’s initiative entitled “Denuclearization, Openness, 3000” aims to help North Korea drastically develop its economic capabilities if North Korea gives up its nuclear programs and chooses to open its doors. We will support the improvement of US-North Korea and Japan-North Korea relations, as well as North Korea’s integration into the international financial system.

We intend to draw up fuller plans to implement the initiative and also consult with North Korea as substantial advances are made in the Six-Party process.

Large-scale projects for economic cooperation will be considered so that they can be pursued in a manner consistent with the four principles we have set for such projects. They are: 1) progress in denuclearization ; 2) economic feasibility ; 3) financial capability ; and 4) national consensus.

In the meantime, humanitarian aid to alleviate the plight of the North Korean people will be provided without condition. The human rights situation in North Korea should not be ignored. We do not approach the human rights issue of North Korea from a strategic viewpoint, but from the perspective of the belief in the universal value of human rights.

I hope that North Korea will help us, so that we can help them. If progress is made in North Korea’s nuclear dismantlement, we will have more scope to help North Korea in a proactive manner. In the last presidential election, the Korean people voted for President Lee Myung-bak who promised to actively help North Korea if it abandons its nuclear programs. On the basis of this broad support from the Korean public, my government can provide assistance and pursue projects for inter-Korean economic cooperation on a larger scale, if progress is made in dismantling North Korea’s nuclear programs.

4. Building a Northeast Asian Cooperation Mechanism

 Now I turn to the subject of building a mechanism for cooperation in Northeast Asia.
We see a high level of economic and cultural exchanges in Northeast Asia, comparable to that of any other region. Nevertheless, as I have already said, there is little recognition of the region as a community. One of the reasons for this is that, in Northeast Asia, security cooperation lags far behind cooperation in other fields.
We believe that the most effective and realistic way to enhance security cooperation in Northeast Asia is to develop the multilateral security discussions, which began within the framework of the Six-Party Talks, into a standing body for security dialogue in the region.

The Six-Party process, of course, is a mechanism specifically designed to settle the North Korean nuclear issue, but it can also serve as a venue for the participants to build trust and draw up a blueprint for peace and stability.

In the “Northeast Asia Peace and Security Mechanism Working Group” of the Six-Party Talks, preliminary discussions have been conducted on how to utilize the six-party process to form a Northeast Asia security dialogue body. We expect the Working Group meetings to resume, once the next round of the Six-Party Talks convenes.

In the pursuit of all these efforts, the Korean government will deepen its cooperation with the US, Japan, China, and Russia. We envision a comprehensive network of cooperation, which comprises a multilateral Northeast Asian security dialogue body as well as cooperative bilateral or trilateral relationships with these countries.
The efforts to build a Northeast Asian cooperation mechanism, and the efforts to create a peace structure on the Korean Peninsula will build upon each other. The Northeast Asian cooperation mechanism would serve to foster an environment for North Korea in which it can comfortably concentrate on bringing change and opening up. This in turn would contribute to building peace on the Korean Peninsula.

5. The Role of the ROK-US Alliance

The strategic foundation of the Korean Peninsula peace structure and the Northeast Asia cooperation mechanism that I have talked of is the ROK-US alliance.The ROK-US alliance is the main pillar which maintains stability amidst the changes that the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia are currently undergoing.

 The ROK-US alliance is not a passive alliance, but a proactive one which contributes to peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia and the international community as a whole. The concern that strengthening the ROK-US alliance would impair our cooperative relations with other countries does not befit the present era of globalization and multilateral cooperation. A strengthened ROK-US alliance, for example, will ultimately help to improve US-North Korea relations. Moreover, the establishment of a Northeast Asia cooperation mechanism with the participation of the US will broaden the consensus among the countries in the region on the role and merits of the US presence in Northeast Asia.

 The Korea-US Summit Meeting of April 18 presented an opportunity to reaffirm that our alliance is evolving to meet the needs of the 21st century. President Lee Myung-bak and President Bush shared the strategic vision that, while responding to the new security environment of the globalized era of the 21st century, Korea and the US should work together to develop Northeast Asia into a community of peace and prosperity. This could be done by establishing a peace structure on the Korean Peninsula and building a mechanism for Northeast Asian cooperation. The Lee Myung-bak administration will focus its diplomatic efforts to realize this joint strategic vision.

6. Concluding Remarks

 Distinguished Guests,

 I believe that the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia presents us with “a challenge and opportunity”. We have to transform the challenge of the North Korean nuclear issue into an opportunity for peace by using the problem itself as a catalyst. We need to make concerted efforts to encourage and help North Korea to become a capable member of the international community, further cooperation in Northeast Asia, and build a permanent structure of peace in Northeast Asia.

 We will face obstacles in the process. Sometimes distrust of the past will hold us down. However, the Lee Myung-bak administration remains optimistic and will exert careful but principled and determined efforts to open a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia

Thank you.