In anticipation of the first significant changes in North Korea policy in ten years that is promised to come with the new administration, experts on North Korea and related NGOs are appealing for the “resolution of North Korea’s nuclear weapons” and “reciprocity” from the Lee Myung Bak government.
Experts have marked the North Korea nuclear issue as the most urgent matter to be addressed by the Lee Myung Bak administration. “Before the Lee administration can pursue reviving the economy as its number one priority, the North Korea nuclear issue must first be resolved. We should have patience in international cooperation and go forward in nuclear negotiations.”
NGOs and related parties have expressed anticipation regarding the Lee administration’s interest in issues related to defectors, abductees, and North Korean human rights and urged that these topics be specifically addressed on the political front.
Yoon Duk Min, Professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy
“The North Korean nuclear issue is currently at a most critical turning point. The Lee administration’s mission for economic revival may collide with the nuclear issue and run into difficulties. Internationally, this year’s Beijing Olympics and the U.S. Presidential elections are getting into gear; the Lee administration’s ability to revive the momentum of the Six Party Talks is key.
”Unless North Korea enters into the actual denuclearization phase, achieving the goals of the “Vision 3000: Denuclearization and Openness” policy will be difficult. How to handle the current nuclear standstill will determine the course of the Lee administration’s policy to North Korea.
”The Roh Moo Hyun administration failed to foster change in North Korea with its approach. The Lee administration should unfold a policy through which change in North Korea can be pursued with consistency, rather than one that inspires one-sided support.”
Dong Yong Seung, Economic Security Chief at Samsung Economics Research Institute
“The most important task in North-South economic cooperation is reaping realistic results. In order to do so, the parts which have been distorted until now must be properly addressed. Of course, the North-South economic cooperation currently underway will not undergo significant change under the Lee administration; however, when carrying out any new proposals for economic cooperation, North Korea’s genuine support will be needed.
”Over the last 10 years, we have tried every possible approach to economic cooperation. From now on, North Korea’s position, rather than ours, is important. In order to pursue the enhanced economic cooperation desired by the Lee administration, North Korea’s active transformation should be pledged.”
Kim Tae Woo, Military Management Research Chief at the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis
“In order to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, principles and patience are necessary. Up until now, building a framework of national cooperation has been the top priority, under the Roh Moo Hyun administration. However, to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, the principle of international cooperation should be put first.
”We have to realize that South Korea is not a country that has the leverage to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. It only amplifies the tension between the two sides that the new administration is speaking as if it can immediately resolve the nuclear issue. “
Huh Man Ho, Kyungbuk University Professor and Chief at theAsia Human Rights Center
”While there is no expiration date to Kim Jong Il’s term of office, the South Korean leadership bears the burden of producing viable results within a set number of years, which can only limit North-South Korean relations. First of all, inter-Korean relations should not be incorporated in domestic politics. The policy on North Korea should be pursued from a long-term perspective and should not be pursued with short-sighted benefits in mind.
”There has been some debate regarding humanitarian aid to the North, but I want to emphasize that it should progress according to international practice. For example, if you look at the World Food Program (WFP) regulations, South Korea sent 400,000 tons of food in 2004 alone and implemented cursory monitoring approximately 10 times; in comparison, the WFP delivered 100,000 tons of food support and monitored over 5,000 times.”
Song Dae Sung, Sejong Research Institute Chief Researcher
”The Lee Myung Bak administration has set forth ‘Vision 3000: Denuclearization and Opening’ as its policy for North-South Korea relations. However, denuclearization is difficult, so we must not be hasty. We should give North Korea time to choose the path of denuclearization and opening on its own. North Korea also needs time to objectively reflect on the faults in its policy toward South Korea.
”The Lee administration may initially experience a rupture in North-South relations. It may feel threatened by criticism from the public, so we must not unfold a policy toward North Korea which, as in the past, does not lead to change in North Korea.”
Kim Yun Tae, Secretary General of the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights
“As much interest as President Lee Myung Bak showed in North Korean human rights as a candidate, I hope that he will put forth the effort to resolve the human rights issue. An active approach to the human rights issue is the way to set the course for North-South Korea relations, which has been skewed until now, and it is the way to simultaneously save 23 million North Korean citizens.
”I hope that the Lee administration, by acknowledging the political relationship between North and South Korea, will not commit the offense of undermining the human rights issue. I hope the entry of the Lee administration will mark a fundamental change in North-South Korean relations with the improvement of North Korean human rights.”
Lee Mee Il, President of the Korean War Abductees’ Family Union
“The Lee administration has announced that it will set up a department in charge of resolving the abductees issue. The creation of the department is a welcomed event, but any failure to distinguish between pre-wartime and post-wartime abductees is a pitiful thing.
”We believe that in order to resolve the pre-war abductees issue with expertise, those who handle issues related to the Korean War should be dispatched to the department in charge. Also, the pre-wartime abductees list should be updated. There is the list that the former administration composed some 50 years ago; however since that time, the existence of more abductees has been made known. Therefore, the matter should be re-investigated.
”Regardless of the change in South Korean leadership, the establishment of a special law is needed for the restoration of honor, human rights, and for the examination of the facts regarding abductees.”
Sohn Jung Hoon, Secretary General of the Committee for Democratization of North Korea
“During the Roh Moo Hyun administration, rather than proposing an alternative plan for defectors settling down in our democratic society, they stopped at regulating them. The Lee administration should create a system where defectors can be trained in all manners of society so that they can help prepare North Korean society after Kim Jong Il.
”Also, the mentality is spreading among defectors that they cannot survive well after having crossed over from a socialist regime to a democratic society. We hope for the establishment of an unofficial resettlement program which can assist defectors and enable them to properly settle down in our democratic society.”
No Ok Jae, Chief of Good Friends
“The Lee administration should first establish a principle and a realistic means of providing humanitarian aid to North Korean citizens. Until now, significant humanitarian aid has taken place, but we could not verify whether it was being distributed to North Korean citizens or whether it was being used elsewhere. Thus, the Lee administration must make an effort to verify the means by which aid is distributed in North Korea.”
