Four former top officials in the South Korean diplomatic and security services have re-released their “Statement on a World Free of Nuclear Weapons,” to stress three critical issues: nuclear disarmament; non-proliferation; and peaceful usage of nuclear programs.
Former Prime Minister Lee Hong Gu, former Minister of the Foreign Affairs Hans Seung Ju, former lawmaker Park Kwang Yong and the first five star Korean General and esteemed war veteran Paik Sun Yup were the signatories.
In the statement, the four noted, “The nuclear problems of the world are directly related to the harsh reality we face and the vision of a Korean Peninsula free from nuclear weapons.”
“The North Korean nuclear problem must be treated as a global proliferation problem as well as one for the Northeast Asia region.”
They urged, “We support the application of comprehensive IAEA safety measures to all peaceful nuclear activities and special fissionable materials,” and added, “North Korea should return to the NPT immediately and implement the IAEA safety measures stipulated therein.”
“The North Korean nuclear problem is a significant challenge to international peace and security as well as nuclear non-proliferation.”
Following the statement, South Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung Hwan said, “They released the statement on the basis that South Korea has an inseparable relationship with the North’s nuclear problem and the nuclear-free world. As a member of the Nuclear Security Summit, these former South Korean officials expressed their nation’s intention to actively join the wave of the world.”
The four figures issued the statement to mirror that of former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry, former Secretary of State George Shultz and former Senator Sam Nunn, which they released in 2007.
