www.spotlightnepal.com www.facebook.com/newspotlightnepal
ffi mmmr,',Hm[
Ntemv-
v \9
ca@
+
z
a0
o
H P
M
ffi mmrcr
lqLr,tmqEmn
SPO May.O8-21.2O15
m.[
ISSN:2097-0711
mffifrffi
mm{m
f6RfHIGHIIY
Reunification 0f Korea Will Be A C,eopolitrcal Blessing.
- CHAO TAE-YUL
CHAO TAE-YUL, a vice foreign
minister ofthe Republic ofKorea, addressedthe inauguration
ceremonyof World
Joumalist ConJerence 2015. Excerpts of his sratement delivered at tlre inaugurarion:
On
histry
ln terms of historical milesrones, the year 2015 is a very signficant year for Korea as
it
marks the 70th anniversary of both national llberation and division.
At this
historical juncEure, an event such as this one in which global opinion leaders have gathered at the heart of a dividedlandto engageindiscussions ontheproqxct ofitsreunificationhoids specul meaning. I wouldlike to thanktheJoumalists Association of Korea for inviting me to thisimportant event and giving me
theopportuniry to
share myviews on
the Changrng Geopolitical Dpamics in Nonheast Asia and the Future of the Korean Peninsula.On
Unification
Germany, a dividednationunril 25 years ago, has not only achievedreunificarion, but is also now raking the lead in the European integrationprocess. Unfom:nateiy, however, despite 70 years of the painful history of narionaldivisioq disnusg conflict andtension
still run high
between thetwo
Koreas.Moreover, the political and security environment surrounding the
Korean Peninsula has neverbeen so challenging since theendof the ColdWar. Today, nota single securiry or foreign poJicy issue in Korea can be addressedtlrough a simple equation. As such, the foreign policy of the Republic ofKorea
facesmulti-layered and multi-
dimensional challenges.
On
KoreanDiplomacy
The reason why Korea's diplomacy is encountering suchchallenges todayisbecause majorcountries in NortheastAsia are acring inmutual distrust andpJayingthe gameswith new strategies and calculations aligning to their respecrive narional power and stature amidst the changing dynamics in the region.
Northeast Asia is currendy win:ressing tectonic shifts in its geopolirics. More than anything else, therapidlyrising Chinalies at the core of such change. Backed by growing self-confidence as the second Jargest economy intheworld Chinais graduallyshiftingaway from its &screet atrirude of wairing for the rightrimewhilebuildingstrengthro one*rar
is more proacrive and asserrive.
On China
The Chinese Dream that President
Xi
Jrnprrg declared in his inaugural speechin
2013 is now being implemented one by one with concretepolicies andactions. Duringhis first summit meering with President Obama
hJune
2013in
Sunnylands, PresidentXi
presented the so-cal}ed New Tlpe of Great PowerRelarionship as thevisionof the U.S.-
China relationship.At the CICA summlt meetinglast May, he came up with a concept of a NewAsianSecurity and ar the Boao Forum this past month,he anaounced a detailed implementarion plan for rhe One BeIt One Road iniriadve ard proposed to build an East Asianlconomic Community by 2020
wirh
ASEAN, Chlna, Japan and Korea asirs
members.And, with many
countries expressing cheir wiliingness ro j6ir rhe AIIB,a financial platlorm fortheOne BelrOne Road iniriarive, the China-led regional multilateral development bankis soon expectedto come intoexistence.The riseof Chinaprovidesnewchallenges to Korea s foreigr pollry, thebackboneof which is rhe Korea-U.S. a]Iiance. The
Air
Defense Identificarion Zone (ADIZ) incident in the East China Sea in November 2013 and the recent controversy over the issue ofjoining theAIIB
are only a few of the casesthai
q,rnbolically illusmate the magnitude of such chailenges. Gorrgforward Koreawillcontinueto run into new challengesof alevel andextent prerrrouslyunlcrown.
However, suchchallenges couldtuminto opportLlniries as the Korea-U.S. alliance and the Korea China reladonsare not in a zero.
sum relationship. They are not only
compatible,but also caryrthepotentialtoeven develop into murually complementary and reinforcingrelationships dependingonKorea's role therein. President Obama made apublic staLement alongrheselinesduringhisvisitto Korea in April Iast year. AndI
believe rllat President Xi's visitto
Korea last July also providedanexcellentopporrunityforKoreans and people around theworld
robetter
understand andrecogrize the compatibfity of the Korea-U.S. alliance and tlre Korea-China strategic partner.ship.
Second.Japan s anemprtourshackle itself fromthepost-warregionalorder andbecome a
normal state under the name of Proactive Connibution to Peaceis exacaiaringttre already complicatedpoliricaliandscape of Nonheast Asia. It is all the more so because the attempt represents h.istorical revisionism emerging within the counny today.
We hope rl-rat theJapanese Govemment will take heed of these voices from across the world. The past mirrors the present and the futurc. Withouthealingthewounds ofthepasg we cannot anticipate a healthy future In an interviewwiththeWashingtonPostlast March, Prime Minister Abe described
the
comfort women" as victims of human nafficking' . We sincerely hope that his failing to mentionwho committedsuchcrimeswasnot anattemptto blame the private brokers and deny the Japanese government's involvement and responsibfity.Notwithstandingthe conflict overhistorical
issues between the two counrries,significant progress has been made
in
rhetrilateral
cooperation among Korea,Japan and China.TheTriJateralForeignMinisters meeringheid
in
Seoullast Marchafter
threeyears ofhibernation
has restoredthe triiareral
cooperation mechanism. At this meering, the threeforeigrministers agredtoworktowards
a rrilateral summit atthe earliestpossible dare.
This achievement was madepossible rhanks to Korea's leadership, iniriative and rireless effon as chair, forwhichbothJapan and China have expressed their appreciarion
We hope that the KoreaJapan relations
will
move gradually towards improvement withinthenilateralif notbilateral,cooperarion framework We also hope that Prime Minister Abe sforrhcomingspeechto theU.S. Congess and his statement expected to be madein
AugustwillconfirmJapan swillingness toface up to itspastwith aforward-looking ardtude towardsgenuinereconciliationandcmpration It is our eamest desire that these eventswill
transpirc tobe an occasion to move one step forwardratherthanbacku,,ardsothat ourtwo
peoples canjoy{rllycelebratetogetherrhe50rh anniversary of the normaljzarion of diplomatic
ties between the rwo countries thisyear.
ThinC, the conflictberweenRussia andthe West in the aftermath of the Utrcainian crisis is posing another great challenge for Korea's diplomacy.
Some even refer
to
the developments followingRussia's annexationof Crimea as the"rcnrmofhistory" or "retwntotheColdWar'.
The conft ontationberweenRussia andtleWest
has been intensi,fuing to the point that Russia declared early on that it willnot be attending the Nuclear Security Summirmbeheldinthe U.S. in 2016. The current situation demands of Korea prudent and skillfirl diplomacy. After
all
Russia is Korea's important partner not onlyinresolving the North Koreannuclear issugNEW SPOTLIGHT :
May.08.201s ; 34but also in our pursuit of Trust polirik and realizing the vision of a reunified Korea.
Moreover,this year is the 25th anniversary of our diplomaric relations. Therefore, it is all the moreimponant t}at Korea andRussia,with a sharedvisionfor andcommimlent to thefuture, makejointeffons tokeep ourbilateralrelations
on track towards stable, long-term
developmenrThis comingJuly, the Eurasia Silk Road Friendship Expresswilldepartfromseouland run through major ciries in Russia, China and Europe. Projects for trilateral cooperation amongthe rwo Koreas arrdRussia, such as the Najin-Hasan Project, will also continue to be pursued. These projects are significant as theycanpromotetheconnectivirybetweenthe continents and contribute to building the
foundation for reunification of
the KoreanPeninsula.Therefore, we will continue toworkdoselywith Russia for their successful implemertationFlnally, abiggerchallengeto our&plomacy than the three challenges I have menrionedis NorthKoreawhichhasyetto glveupitsnuclear arnbitionsandhasbeencontinuingtoheiglrten tension on the Korean Peninsula, refusing to
engage in dialogue.
Notwithstanding the international
community's united stance and sanctions againstitsnudearweaponsprograrL sinceKim Jong-unassumedpower, Nortfi-Koreahasbeensimultaneously pursuing
economicdevelopment and nuclear
armament, threatening not only the Sou*I, but the rest of theworldaswellNorth Korea, however, has been refusing
to
acceptour
proposalby insisting
on preconditions, such as the suspenslon ofthe annualjolnt Korea-U.S.military exercises andanti-North Korean NGO's sending
of propagandaleafletsintotheNorth-Wecannot help but feel a deep sense of despair when looking at theNorth
Korean authorifies agrossedindevelopingnudearweapons,wtrile turning a blind eye to the plight of its own peoplewhosehumannghts arebeingseriously violated and the nagic reality of thousands of separated families passing away every year.As such, Korea s &plomacyis nowfaced
with
multi-faceted, but dosely rntertwined challenges. From a broader perspective, however, such challenges imply that Korea sstrategic value has increased as much.
Thereforg as Korea'snationalpowerandglobal staturerises,diplomaricchallengeswillpourin
with
greater force and speed. However, as WinstonChurchilloncemid
Kites risehiglrest against the wind, not with it-. I believe that such challengeswill
provide invaluable opportuniriesforKoreato orpandthescopeof itsdiplomacy.tn the 1970s, amid the detente berween the East andthe West, inter-Koreanre]ations experienced abrief thawingperiodproducing
theJ uly 4thJoint Communiqug the first-ever documentjoindysigned and announcedbythe rwo Koreas. Andin the 1990s in the wake of the endof the ColdWar,furtherprqlress was
made in improving the relations, induding the adoprion of the Basic Agreement berween the North and the South These rwoperiods were
both marked by major
changero
rhe intemational order, but fell short ofb.i"$.g
about fundamental changes [o the relations between the two Koreas. Now, fwenty some years after the end of the Cold War, I believe
that
anotherhistoricai rurning point
is approachingthe
Korean Peninsula.In
NortheastAsia today,just as in the I970s and 1990s, another geopoJitical tecronic shift is takingplace, as the rise of China indicates.ItwasinthiscontextthatattheNewYear
press conference andlater at the Davos Forum early last year, President Park Geun-hye mmparedreunificationtowinningthejackpor Andln her Dresden speech duringhervisit to Germany in Aprilshepresented the lnidarive forPeaceful Unificationonthe Korean Peninsula
known as the Dresden Iniciative. A series of follow-up measures, including the launch of the hesidential Committee for Unificarion Prepararionhave sincebeenimplemented
All
of these stem hom her sense of hisrorical missionas aleaderstandingatacriticaltimeinhistory
calling on usto
make necessary preparations for the furure of the Korean pelrinsula.WiththishistoricalperspectivgthePark Geun-hye government
is committed to
overcomingthesecuritychallerrgesinNorrlreast Asia that I mentioned earlierwith the vision and strategy envisioned in ourTrust polirik, and to proactively crearing an environment conducivetoreunification Sucheffortswillbe guidedbythefollowing tlreeprinciples.
Firsgabalancebetweenpeace-keepingand peace-making. As the divisionof the Korean Peninsula continues for a proEacted period, previous administrations
took
different approaches to NorthKorea. Some focused on peaceh:Imanagementof adividednationrather thanreunificationpersgwhereas someothers made focused eflortsto
break the starus quo.The Park Geun-hye govemment spo[cy towards Norrh Korea is a balanced approach that encompasses both approacheswithour
tikingto one side. Basedon strongdeterrence, wewill
respond firrnlyto North
Korea's provocations, while proactively creating an environment in which North Korea has no other choicebut
to change, and faithfullyffff;.:?J* *t
meaningfi rl trust-building Second, aufficarion
policy focusing on improving qualiry of people's life. hesident Park's Dresden Iniriarive contains actionable proposals to address the humanitarianissues of the people of thetwo
Koreas, tobuild
infrastructuretoimprovethelivelihoodoftlre North Koreanpeople, andtorestore a sense of uniry and deepen integationberween ttre peoples of thetwo
Koreas.If
North Korea shows anyinterest at all theseproposals can be executed at this very moment. hesident Park's proposalinher Liberation Day speech lastyearto setup achannelforinter-Kbrean cooperation on environment, livelihood andculrure, and theproposalinher Lrdependence Movement Day speech
this
yearto
hold periodic reunionsof
separated families, promote exchange in sports, culture and arts and strengthen cooperationin
improving livelihoods, were all madewith
the goal toreali zs "small rnification".
Third
reunification that is in harmony with the interests of nerghboring countries, is blessedby the international communiry, and conn:ibutes tohumanityas awhole.As Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se emphasizedin
his speech at the Davos Forum on the vision of reunificarion earlier this year, reunification of Koreawillbe a geopoliticalblessing. Aunified Korea will be a herald of peace and a basdon of heedom, democracy and human righrs.When the abundant narural resourceiand diligenthumanresources of North Korea are combinedwith ourstate-olthe-arr technologlr andcreativeentrepreneurship,Awillnot only serve as a catalyst for growth of the Korean economy,butwillalso generateneweconomic opporrunities for neighboring counrries.
Northeast Asia
will
then enjoy peace and prosperiry, and the whole world willbe able to share the resukingpeace dividends.The Korean govemment
will
actively communicatetotheintemarionalcommunity the vision and benefits of a unified Korea, expand nerworks that can be ofsubsmnrial assistance to Korea's unification and therebyfu rther strengthen the base for intemarional supporttowardsKoreanreunification Brildi"g on the outcome of the two meetings of the Korean-German Advisory
Sroup
on the ForeigrPolicytowardsReunification,wewill continue to reinforce sftatqic cooperation with the counrries relevant totle
furure o[ the Korean Peninsula, through such channels as the Korean Peninsula Club and Peace Club, channelsfor dialogue with
countries maintaining diplomatic relations wirh both Koreas.The Dresden
Initiative I
mentioned earlier, and the Northeast Asia Peace and CooperationInitiative (NAPCI) which
constitutes one of the two key pillars of the ParkGeun-hye govemment's Trust politik aimto build
aninfrastructure of trust by
accumulating smallbutmeaningfulpractices of cooperation and dialogue tharwill
help dismande the current structure of disrrusl andconfronadonintheKoreanPeninsulaand NortheastAsia.The theme of today's discussion,
Korea's reunification, is not a mere dream,but
a fururethat
the Korean people are committed to reaizing. PopeJohn PaulII
famously remarked that "the future starts today, not tomorrow". The furure belongs to those preparingforit at this verymoment.
If we fail to properly prepare for the furure today, then we will painfully re$et having
lost
the goldenopportunity for
Korean reunification.( o g on
f
or detail : httpI
/ sp otlightnep al. c otn/Nel^)s/Arhcle/I<or(ffi -yice-ministq-Chao-Tae-wl- uniftcation)a