평화군축센터 미분류 2012-01-10   1522

[statement] PSPD urges the Lee Myung-bak government to make “progressive decisions”

2012 Milestone Year of Korean Peninsula for Peace
PSPD urges the Lee Myung-bak government to make “progressive decisions”
 

– Comply with the inter-Korean agreements and promote Inter-Korea talks and cooperation
– Make greater diplomatic efforts to resume the Six-Party Talks heading towards denuclearization
– Make a change for peace on the Korean Peninsula by Suspending the Key Resolve joint military exercise

 

  

2012 is a crucial year for both Koreas and their neighbors. After unexpected death of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il, inter-Korean relationship that was frozen is now entering a new era with neighboring counties’ diplomatic strategies to prevent instability on the Korean peninsula. It is becoming clear that this unstable situation is highly unlikely to resolve if there was no marked shift from armistice regime to peace system. Establishing a peace system does not only mean the end of military confrontation and antagonism between Koreas. It is an essential prerequisite for settlement of democracy and promotion of social welfare as well as stability and coexistence for the both. At this turning point, it is unfortunate that the South Korean government is still hovering. It should play a leading role for peace on the peninsula.

  

The Center for Peace and Disarmament of the People’s Solidarity of Participatory Democracy(hereinafter referred to as PSPD), at this historical turning point towards a new era, emphasizes again that it is urgently needed to establish a peace system and urges the South Korean government to take actions as follows concerning the pressing task that the government faces.

  

First of all, the South Korean government should make proactive efforts for inter-Korean talks and cooperation. For the last four years, the Lee Myung-bak government’s hard-line stance and policy towards North Korea has been proved that they were unhelpful in order to change the North’s attitude and rather resulted in instability on the Korean peninsula. As the absence of the talks and mutual exchanges, only antagonism and distrust remain between the both, which would deteriorate into a military confrontation anytime. Crisis on the Peninsula is getting higher than ever and it is a very unfortunate situation for all people in the Peninsular. This is the right time to restore the relationship unless the government was intended to maintain a so-called hostile symbiosis by arousing public fear and anxiety.

The Lee government should state its willingness to talk without preconditions with clear declaration for respecting and observing the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and 10.4 Summit Declaration. It is also required to  propose family reunions, resumption of Mt. Geumgang tours and humanitarian aid.

 

Secondly, diplomatic effort to resume the six-party talks is needed. In December last year, North Korea and the US agreed on humanitarian aid and suspending uranium enrichment, thereby stepping closer to the Six-Party Talks resumption. Although North Korea-US negotiation has been delayed after Kim Jong-il’s death, it is considered that the Six-Party Talks are the fastest way for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

 

The Lee Myung-bak government’s policy towards North Korea, especially “Denuclearization·Open Market·3000″(meaning if North Korea gives up nuclear program and opens its market, South Korea would contribute to the development up to GDP US$3,000 per capita), rather resulted in building up the North’s nuclear armament. The South Korean government should make efforts to resume the talks. The plan of Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in Northeast Asia should be regarded as a fundamental alternative to remove the danger of nuclear armament as ‘2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit’ is coming in March. At the same time, the nuclear haves should not take advantage to pressure North Korea without fulfilling own nuclear disarmament and abolishment.

 

Thirdly, the government should take initiatives of military measures to change tense situation on the Korean Peninsula. At the moment, the Korean Peninsular is like a powder keg. Particularly, the Key Resolve, the South Korea-US joint military exercise from February to March would be highly likely to reach rapidly a flashpoint. The Key Resolve is a military plan dealing with the North Korea’s contingencies and deploys a US aircraft carrier. It could be regarded aggressive and provoking and it is fairly certain that conducting the exercise is headed into serious military tension and conflict in the region. Furthermore, there is no early warning system such as hot-line. North Korea seems likely to seek stability after Kim Jong-il’s death, it is also probable that military actions will be taken for domestic affairs. Another crisis is at hand.

 

Thus, reflecting the experience 20 years ago would be a good lesson. In retrospect, adopting the Basic Agreement and drawing the Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula resulted from the suspension of the Team Spirit exercise that drove into a tension-ridden phase. It is the just right time to seriously consider suspending the Key Resolve military exercise. The suspension can be a starting point to enter upon a new phase of peace of the Korea Peninsular.

 

PSPD urges that the South Korean government at a critical moment should take the initiative and lay the groundwork for a Korean peace system. Especially, this year is facing the elections which will determine whether next year 2013 can open up a new shift to a peace system in Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula. All political parties should propose feasible vision for the peace system. The people will judge them. That is the reason why the government should seriously review and determine to observe the agreements between North and South Korea, show willingness of inter-Korean talks, make efforts to resume the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible, and suspend the Key Resolve joint military exercise. The people will take part in ‘voting for peace’ and PSPD will also try eagerly for this matter.

 

 

 See the Statement in Korean

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