On the 19th, the Grand National Party presidential candidates took part in a policy debate on the reunification, diplomacy and welfare.
Reunification, diplomacy and welfare is an area which includes all the “external problems” that surround South Korea. In theory, this can include not only North Korea and the U.S., but Japan, China, and Russia as well as Australia, India, the Middle East, and Africa. However, the surrounding countries with whom we have direct relationships of understanding are important and among these, the North Korean and the U.S. issue is most crucial.
From this perspective, the fact that the North Korean issue has emerged as the main point of contention at this policy debate is not a surprise. Further, the fact that the nuclear issue, a primary issue which has shattered peace on the peninsula, has become a main point of contention is natural.
However, the purpose of the North Korean policy itself should not end at abandoning North Korea’s nuclear weapons. The goals of North Korean policy are North Korea’s open and reform, democratization, realization of human rights, and establishment of peace on the peninsula and reunification of peace.
Also, it is ideal that the policy debate unfolds to align itself with the goals of North Korean policy.
However, rather than the candidates’ philosophies and policies on North Korea’s open and reform, democratization, and realization of human rights becoming the main points of debates, the nuclear issue has been coming up the most.
North Korea’s nuclear weapon, in the process of achieving the goals of North Korean policy, should absolutely be abandoned to establish peace on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia. Of course, North Korean nuclear weapon is undoubtedly an urgent and important issue which has become a global issue, but it should not become the goal of North Korean policy.
On these points, there was disappointment that the debate did not unfold based on the candidates Lee Myung Bak and Park Geun Hye’s rational methodologies for implementing the “philosophy” of North Korean policy for realizing human rights, for North Korea’s open and reform, and democratization besides the nuclear issue.
The aspects of ideology and diplomacy of candidates not seen yet
However, the differences in the policies of the candidates, especially the differences in knowledge regarding diplomacy and national security, were generally evident. This is a sorry expression, but there were “below-standard” candidates such as Ko Jin Hwa and middle-standard candidates such as Hong Jun Pyo and Won Hee Ryong.
On that day, Lee Ju Young, the Chairman of the Policy Committee came out and drew attention by introducing the view on North Korea of the Grand National Party and summarized the basis of the policy as a “nuclear-free Korean peninsula,” “living together, developing together peninsula,” and “peninsula with the freedom of peace and respect for human rights.”
Candidates Lee Myung Bak and Park Geun Hye entered the policy discussion by generally preserving the Party’s view towards North Korea.
Candidates Lee and Park, in name and reality, introduced the dimension of the “Korean peninsula as an economic collective body” and etched the importance of the economy in the North Korea issue. However, the current North Korean system is not fundamentally an economic first society, but is a military first society, so the observation has not caught on yet.
A candidate raising attention on the point that the North Korean system, in contrast with a market society, is a military first society and has come forward with a strategy towards North Korea in the direction of an ideology and diplomacy has not been seen yet.
Only, candidates Lee and Park, in the name of “principle” and “reciprocity,” made it clear that North Korea is in a position closely linked with keeping the promise of abandoning nuclear weapons, which differs from the current appeasement policy.
Lee Myung Bak, “Allow free passage of separated families.”
Candidate Lee Myung Bak insisted on a comprehensive policy with a principle which can lead North Korea’s transformation and opening. He insisted to Kim Jong Il to come forward with opening and that the international society should lead North Korea’s opening through cooperation.
He maintained that if North Korea abandons nuclear weapons and opens, then the expansion of infrastructure such as rail, harbors, highways, etc. will be actualized and will build a new economic zone for the South and North Korean economic cooperation in a 26,446 square km’s land of the estuary of the Han River. By doing so, North Korea’s national per capita income will increase to $3,000 in 10 years.
He also proposed to immediately allow free passage of separated families over 70 and to allow the free comings and goings of separated families before resolving the nuclear issue.
Simultaneously, he emphasized reciprocity from a humanitarian perspective. If South Korea sends medical goods, rice, and fertilizer, North Korea will have to cooperate on abductees and prisoners of war.
After denuclearization, he also proposed the establishment of a “Northeast Asia Economic Security Collective” through the cooperation of the Uruguay Round.
Park Geun Hye, emphasizes three steps of reunification
Candidate Park Geun Hye summarized a “North Korean policy of principle, diplomatic policy of faith.”
At this debate, candidate Park relatively succeeded in etching herself as the person who knows the importance of diplomatic security. She urged, “I will change the framework of diplomacy to a focus on national interest.”
She stressed that she will develop the U.S.-South Korean alliance through new ideas into a value-based, economic, and a comprehensive military alliance suitable for the 21st century.
She said she will establish genuine peace on the peninsula and will push for a reunification which aims for prosperity and freedom of North and South Korea’s 70,000,000 brethren.
Candidate Park especially emphasized pursuing a three-step reunification ▲ completely getting rid of nuclear weapons and dissolving the militaristic antagonism as the first stage of establishing peace ▲an economic reunification which builds an economic collective on the peninsula as the second stage, and ▲a political reunification which actualizes the universal values of mankind such as freedom, human rights, and social welfare as the third stage.
Candidate Park stressed that all nuclear weapons and nuclear programs of North Korea should be completely abolished and denuclearization realized through international cooperation.
She also said, in regards to a “North Korean policy of principle” that “South Korea will try to incite open and reform of North Korea through a principled reciprocity and will seek to become a normal member of international society.”
At the day’s two-party debate, candidate Go Jin Hwa asked, “Does candidate Park still think that “Chairman Kim is a trustworthy person” as she remarked after meeting Kim Jung Il in 2002?” Candidate Park refuted by saying., “I never said he was a trustworthy person” and “do not be negative.”
In addition, candidate Hong Jun Pyo proposed, “we have to strengthen the notion of an autonomous diplomacy to befit the changed phase of our nation.” He emphasized a “realistic autonomy” and proposed, “let us use the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon as a special envoy to Korea peninsula.”
This day’s debate stood as a policy debate by candidates Park and Lee showing a regular agenda while candidate Hong showed the appearance of not being fully prepared yet.
However, while candidates Lee and Park all said “good things” in the general remarks, the impression is that they did not go delve into the actual means of actualization.
