Nautilus Institute PFO 00-01: Regional Approach to Korean Peninsula Security

NAPSNet Policy Forum

Recommended Citation

"Nautilus Institute PFO 00-01: Regional Approach to Korean Peninsula Security", NAPSNet Policy Forum, January 03, 2000, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-policy-forum/nautilus-institute-pfo-00-01-regional-approach-to-korean-peninsula-security-3/

Nautilus Institute PFO 00-01: Regional Approach to Korean Peninsula Security

Nautilus Institute PFO 00-01: Regional Approach to Korean Peninsula Security

Comments on: A Regional Approach to Korean Peninsula Security

PFO 00-01C: March 13, 2001

By Charles Ju

Contents of This Report:

I. Introduction

    II. Comments by Charles Ju

      III. Nautilus Invites Your Responses

        Go to essay by Lee Hwal-Woong

        January 3, 2000

        Go to comments by Bo-Hyug Suh

        January 11, 2000

        I. Introduction

        The following is a comment on “A Regional Approach to Korean Security” by Hwal-Woong Lee, which was issued as PFO #00-01A on January 3. In the original essay, Lee argues that the continued presence of US troops in the ROK prevents a comprehensive settlement of Korean Peninsula security issues. Instead, he calls for a regionally based approach that would include participation by all interested countries. This commentary is also relevant to series (#01-02) on the future of US relations with Northeast Asian countries under the administration of incoming US President George W. Bush.

        Charles Ju argues against any revision of the 1994 Agreed Framework to not deliver light-water reactors to North Korea, an idea recently proposed by several US Congressmen. Ju argues that North Korea is in desperate need of electricity and backtracking on the agreement will set back relations with North Korea.

        II. Comments by Charles Ju

        I have read the article by Hwal-Woong Lee titled “A Regional Approach to Korean Peninsula Security” (https://nautilus.org/fora/security/https://nautilus.org/publications/essays/napsnet/forum/policy-forum-archive/nautilus-institute-pfo-00-01-regional-approach-to-korean-peninsula-security/). I would like to say I agree with everything in the article. It was a nice article and well written. The recent developments in Washington administration are worrisome.

        Henry J. Hyde R-Ill.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) have sent letter to Bush saying that US should revise the KEDO agreement signed in 1994 that promises to deliver light water reactor to North Korea. Such reactor will produce electricity and will not be possible to manufacture materials for atomic bombs. DPRK is need of electricity badly to run the city, homes, factories and hospitals.

        The republican administration seems eager to revert back to Cold War. The small progress made during Clinton administration with DPRK-USA will be lost if KEDO is scrapped or revised in a manner that makes DPRK unhappy. That will prompt DPRK to restart its indigenous missile and nuclear ambitions. Washington is already years behind in providing the promised light water reactor and is seen as reneging the contract. The breach of contract seems to have accelerated by calls for shelving KEDO agreement by the three people mentioned above.

        Many in the administration are now contemplating on getting around the 1972 ABM treaty. Now they’re contemplating in some loophole to scrap KEDO agreement. Scrapping KEDO will be a bad mistake and will not only undermine the peace process started by South Korea’s Pres. Kim Dae Jung but also undermine better relations with US Gov.

        There is no real reason to change direction of current policy towards North Korea in view of slow opening of North Korea to outside world. Best Regards,
        Charles Ju

        III. Nautilus Invites Your Responses

        The Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network invites your responses to this essay. Please send responses to: napsnet-reply@nautilus.org . Responses will be considered for redistribution to the network only if they include the author’s name, affiliation, and explicit consent.

        Produced by The Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development
        Northeast Asia Peace and Security Project ( napsnet-reply@nautilus.org )
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        nautilus-logo-smallThe NAPSNet Policy Forum provides expert analysis of contemporary peace and security issues in Northeast Asia. As always, we invite your responses to this report and hope you will take the opportunity to participate in discussion of the analysis.