열린장관실

Remarks

By

 H.E. Mr. Song Min-soon

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Republic of Korea

At a Dinner

on the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary

of the Seoul Forum for International Affairs

February 26, 2007

Seoul

(Introduction)

Chairman Lee, Hong-ku, Honorary President Kim, Kyung-won

President Han, Sung-joo, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and gentlemen,

I am truly honored to join you in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Seoul Forum for International Affairs. During the past two decades, Seoul Forum has engaged in in-depth studies, sponsored numerous conferences, and offered valuable perspectives and policy suggestions on important foreign policy and national security issues of our day.

I hope that the Seoul Forum will continue to prosper in the next 20 years as a source of wisdom as well as a forum for the highest intellectual debate in our society.

(The Significance of the February 13 Agreement and its Implications on Northeast Asia Security Dialogue)

This evening, I would like to share with you the Korean government’s views on a regional security dialogue in Northeast Asia, and highlight the implications that the Six Party Talks agreement of February 13 have on the formation of such a dialogue.

As you are aware, the six parties have come to agree on the “Initial Actions for the Implementation of the September 19 Joint Statement” on February 13 in Beijing.

According to this agreement, North Korea will shut down and seal, for the purpose of eventual abandonment, the Yongbyon nuclear facilities, invite back the IAEA personnel for monitoring and verification, and discuss with other parties a list of all its nuclear programs. The other five parties will take corresponding measures, including the provision of emergency energy assistance equivalent to 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil (HFO), and the start of US-DPRK and Japan-DPRK bilateral talks on normalization of relations. The United States will begin the process of removing the designation of North Korea as a state-sponsor of terrorism and advance the process of terminating the application of the Trading with the Enemy Act with respect to North Korea.  

Also, the six parties have agreed to establish five Working Groups : Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula; Normalization of US-DPRK Relations; Normalization of Japan-DPRK Relations; Economic and Energy Cooperation; and, last but not least, Northeast Asia Peace and Security Mechanism.

During the phase after the Initial Actions - which includes provision of a complete declaration of all nuclear programs and disablement of all existing nuclear facilities - economic, energy and humanitarian assistance up to the equivalent of 950 thousand tons of heavy fuel oil will be provided to North Korea.

This agreement is the result of serious efforts by all countries concerned and, in particular, the outcome of close coordination between the ROK and the United States. First and foremost, the significance of the latest agreement lies in the fact that the six parties will now move into the implementation of the September 19 Joint Statement of 2005 and will take actual steps to begin dismantling North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs.

The September 19 Joint Statement, which is sometimes called the statement of principles, has been hailed as an excellent agreement as it put into writing North Korea’s commitment to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs. The only drawback was that it did not come to the stage of being implemented. But, now the long overdue implementation process has begun.

What is also noteworthy is that the six parties have agreed to hold the Working Group on Northeast Asia Peace and Security Mechanism as one of the five Working Groups. Furthermore, a six party ministerial meeting will be convened once the initial actions have been taken - not only to confirm the implementation of the Joint Statement, but also to explore ways and means to promote security cooperation in Northeast Asia.

Until now, Northeast Asia security dialogue has been held on Track II level. The February 13 agreement will elevate such discussions to Track I level, and this is what I find particularly important. As proponent of regional security dialogue, Korea looks forward to actively participating in this Working Group as well as the forthcoming ministerial meeting.

(The Status of Northeast Asia Security Dialogue: Relevance and Limitations)

The security landscape in Northeast Asia today is far different from the situation when Seoul Forum was founded 20 years ago. The current environment presents both new opportunities and new challenges that need to be overcome.

The overall security environment in Northeast Asia has improved since the end of the Cold War. With globalization and the spread of market economy, economic dynamism and interdependence have steadily increased. Meanwhile, there continues to be a number of destabilizing factors in the region, including the North Korean nuclear issue, issues of past history and territorial disputes, as well as new challenges such as terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Also, there are other factors of note such as the rise of China as economic and military power, Japan’s attempt to become a “normal state”, and Russia’s efforts to restore its influence in the region.

These challenges will affect peace and stability of Northeast Asia, and thus require us to manage them carefully and wisely. In this regard, the Korean government has been pursuing the “Policy of Peace and Prosperity” to strengthen the basis for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. And, as one of the means to make this possible, the Korean government has been striving to promote a regional security dialogue in Northeast Asia.

President Roh Moo-hyun has been personally advocating the need for Northeast Asia security dialogue in various multilateral and bilateral meetings, which generally was met with positive response and the expression of support.

Although a general consensus already exists on the need to create a regional security dialogue, a specific mechanism to organize such cooperation at the governmental level has yet to be established. With their membership broad-based and their focus wider, existing multilateral forums, such as the APEC and ARF, have not been fully adequate in dealing effectively with security issues of Northeast Asia.

In addition, differences in values and political systems, traditional rivalries, and vestiges of the Cold War also pose as hindrances to forming such a multilateral security dialogue at the governmental level.

Unless the North Korean nuclear issue is resolved, the foundations for a regional security dialogue will not be fully established. I am convinced that as we move forward by reaching a follow-up agreement and moving into the actual dismantlement phase, firmer groundwork will be laid for a Track I regional security dialogue.

(Future Direction of Northeast Asia Security Dialogue)

The Six Party Talks have contributed to setting a significant precedent as the countries of this region join together in a serious attempt to find a solution to one of the greatest security challenges they face. Should we succeed, this will serve as a valuable asset to institutionalizing regional security cooperation in Northeast Asia.  

Meanwhile, it should be pointed out that a new multilateral security mechanism in Northeast Asia is not meant to replace or overhaul the existing web of bilateral alliances. On the contrary, it would be best to maintain and further develop the Korea-U.S. and U.S.-Japan alliances, for instance, and have them complement the multilateral security mechanism.

Also, the experiences which are being gained through the trilateral consultations among Korea-U.S.-Japan and Korea-China-Japan ? the latter being a relatively new format - will both prove useful in developing a regional security mechanism. The regional security forum, however, will have a broader and more comprehensive agenda. In addition to a wide array of traditional security issues, such forum will be able to address a new set of issues such as terrorism, environmental degradation, epidemics, natural disasters, and transnational crimes are to be addressed.

(Conclusion)

In the pursuit of a regional security mechanism in Northeast Asia, there is no better point of reference than the historical precedent set by Europe. As it has consolidated security dialogue and cooperation in Europe, the OSCE helped bring down the barriers of mistrust and realize a solid process of peaceful integration of Europe as we see today. Likewise, I believe a regional security mechanism will bring all countries in Northeast Asia closer together and contribute to building a more stable and prosperous future for this region.

However, recognizing this potential is one thing, and putting it into action is quite another. Countries in Northeast Asia should realize that establishing a regional security mechanism is not a goal for the distant future, but a task we must accomplish in the near future. With this in mind, we should mobilize the political will and the collective wisdom to make this happen. For its part, Korea will play its role and join with other countries as we embark on the road to the creation of a community of peace and reconciliation.

I do hope that this conference will provide us with a useful opportunity to share our thoughts on the paradigm shift in Northeast Asia and the world, and how Korea can contribute throughout this process. I wish Seoul Forum continued success and greater accomplishments in the many years to come.  Thank you. /END/