July 13,
2006
Dr. Sung Lac Wi
Minister for Political Affairs at the Embassy of the
Republic of Korea
Topic:
North Korean Nuclear Issues.
Dr. Sung Lac Wi's lecture on the current
situations and challenges facing the Korean peninsula
offered a new perspective to the Executive Lecture Forum
members and their guest. The Minister started his excellent
lecture by offering a brief history of the ups and downs of
the South Korean negotiations with communist North Korea.
He categorically stated that a non-peaceful approach to
stop North Korea's development of nuclear weapons could
throw the whole Korean peninsula and the surrounding region
into an immeasurable crisis. Therefore, his government is
working closely with the U.S. and Japan to ensure a united
front for effective negotiations during the so-called
Six-Party Talks. After the brief but positive discussions,
North Korea changed its policy from cooperation to
confrontation, said the Minister. The leader of this rogue
State, Kim Jung Il, stated that they possess nuclear weapons
and declared suspension of the talks. The secret
negotiations between North and South Korea and the United
States, in March of this year, and the following
negotiations in Tokyo did not end with positive results. To
make the situation worse, on July 4th when the
United States celebrated its Independence Day, the North
Koreans test fired one long-range and six short to mid-range
missiles. Minister Wi labeled these launches provocative
acts.
The
Minister closed his well-received briefing by saying
that the Allies should approach the North Korea
talks with a sense of pragmatism and realism. The
international community, said Minister Wi, should
speak with one voice, sending the leaders of North
Korea a clear message that the price for bad
behavior will be high. That way, the Six-Party
Talks will resume, and the ultimate result will be a
nuclear free Korean Peninsula.
