Policy Forum

Mr. Wit, a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution, is a former US State Department official who worked on DPRK issues from 1993-1999. Wit reviews the history of US President Bill Clinton’s engagement policy of the DPRK. He argues that the Agreed Framework has been successful in preventing the DPRK from developing a nuclear weapons arsenal, but has not been fully implemented across the board. At present, the Perry Report has restored some stability to US-DPRK relations. Further progress in the near future could make it difficult for the next US administration to make drastic changes in policy, although a Republican president is likely to take a somewhat different approach toward the DPRK.

This essay is by Indong Oh, M.D., a fellow and director of Korea-2000, a Los Angeles-based research council on Korean unification. Dr. Oh argues that the continuance of US wartime operational control over ROK forces under the Combined Forces Command hinders the realization of ROK-DPRK dialogue. He calls for shifting the emphasis in peace talks away from US-DPRK bilateral talks and towards direct inter-Korean negotiations.

Go to the discussion.

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 00-01B: January 11, 2000 By Bo-Hyug Suh, Institute of Political Economy of Korea Copyright (c) 2000 Nautilus of America/The Nautilus Institute CONTENTS Contents of This […]

This essay was contributed by Hwal-Woong Lee, former Foreign Service Officer for the ROK Government and currently a Fellow at Korea-2000, an LA based research council on Korean reunification. 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.

Go to the discussion.

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 […]

This essay is by Won-Ki Choi, Editor and Researcher with the Joongang Daily in Seoul. The author reviews the political situation in the DPRK, and how it has been affected by the ongoing economic difficulties. He argues that policies toward the DPRK should be consistent and based on a firm grasp of the reality of the DPRK’s situation. He concludes that, ultimately, the international community will have to lead a large-scale development effort for the DPRK.

This essay is by Cheong Wooksik, a representative of the Civil Network for a Peaceful Korea, and was translated by You Sanghee. Cheong compares the two recent reports on US policy toward the DPRK; that of former Defense Secretary William Perry and that of the US Congress’s North Korea Advisory Group. Cheong argues that while the Perry report was designed to provide policy alternatives, the Republican report was meant to criticize the Clinton administration’s DPRK policy. He concludes that while, compared to the Republican report, the Perry report appears progressive, it makes no new proposals for reducing the reliance on military deterrence on the Korean Peninsula.

This essay was contributed by Hwal-Woong Lee, former Foreign Service Officer for the ROK Government and currently a Fellow at Korea-2000, an LA based research council on Korean reunification. The author argues that the Perry Report offers little hope to end the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction programs, which he says are a response to the US threat to the DPRK’s security. He maintains that, in the absence of a political solution that would include the withdrawal of US troops from the ROK, the Perry Report only puts the US and the DPRK on a course to eventual conflict.

PFO 99-07H: November 2, 1999 Discussion of “Change in North Korea” ByJohn Feffer & Karin Lee, American Friends Service Committee Copyright (c) 1999 Nautilus of America/The Nautilus Institute CONTENTS I. Introduction II. Comments on Essay by John Feffer & Karin Lee1. Comments by Cheong Wooksik  2. Comments by Suk Lee  3. Response by John Feffer […]

Nautilus Institute Policy Forum Online: Discussion of “Change in North Korea” Nautilus Institute Policy Forum Online: Discussion of “Change in North Korea” PFO 99-07H: November 2, 1999 Discussion of “Change in North Korea” ByJohn Feffer & Karin Lee, American Friends Service Committee Copyright (c) 1999 Nautilus of America/The Nautilus Institute CONTENTS I. Introduction II. Comments […]