Seoul Defense Dialogue (September 8, 2016)

Remarks by Kim Hong-kyun,
Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs

Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to have this opportunity again to speak before such a distinguished audience following last year’s Seoul Defense Dialogue. The theme of this session, “Denuclearization of North Korea and International Cooperation,” is very timely and relevant as the year 2016 has been turbulent since the beginning with continuous and reckless provocations by North Korea.

Only a few days after Kim Jong-un said he would pursue “peace in the peninsula and security in the region” in his New Year’s Address, North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, which was followed by a long-range missile launch just a month later. Including the recent firing of three more ballistic missiles on Monday, North Korea has thus far launched 22 ballistic missiles this year alone. This is higher than the total number of ballistic missiles launched during the 18-year reign of his father, Kim Jong-il. In addition to the launches, North Korea recently disclosed the fact that it has reprocessed spent nuclear fuel and has produced enriched uranium to be used in nuclear weapons. The regime also manifested its will to conduct yet another nuclear test. The ROK government is keeping a close watch on North Korea after it threatened to “take a series of eventful action steps” through the Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s statement on August 28.

The North Korean nuclear issue has now become more critical than ever before, since it emerged as an international problem almost three decades ago.

First and foremost, Pyongyang has abandoned its “strategic ambiguity” and is now blatantly pushing forward its nuclear development program. During the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party held in May, North Korea included in its party charter the byungjin policy, which means the simultaneous pursuit of economic development and nuclear weapons program. North Korea now even calls itself as the “nuclear power of the East” and a “military power fully equipped with nuclear attack capability.”

Second, Kim Jong-un himself has threatened to mount a “pre-emptive nuclear strike”, manifesting the will to actually use its nuclear arsenal. North Korea asserts that nuclear warheads are already deployed and on standby to be fired at any moment. The regime also claims that it has in place all substantial means capable of instantly reducing to ashes not only South Korean cities, such as Seoul and Busan, but also the US mainland and US military bases in the Pacific.

Third, the continuous multiple test-launches of various ballistic missiles is rapidly advancing North Korea’s capabilities to realize such nuclear strategy and threats. Furthermore, North Korean missiles that violate the region’s waters and airspace without any notice are undermining aviation safety and maritime commerce. The issues of the environment, nuclear safety and non-proliferation which North Korea’s nuclear and missile development may entail also have become risks that we cannot afford to neglect.

If we do not put a stop to this rampage now, in the not-too-distant future, we will be forced to live with a neighbor with nuclear weapons that is more than willing to actually use them. That is why we must focus all our energy into resolving this issue with utmost urgency and firm resolve. And that is exactly what we are doing right now.

The international community is more firmly united than ever in its commitment to denuclearize North Korea. More than 120 countries and international organizations have strongly condemned North Korea’s fourth nuclear test. The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) hosted by China, the G7 Summit, the ASEM summit and the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings all have consistently sent strong messages to Pyongyang. I hope this momentum will continue, including at the East Asia Summit, which will be held in a few hours.

Six months since the adoption of the UN Security Council resolution 2270, which marks the strongest non-military measure in the history of the UN, its implementation is well underway and the North Korean nuclear issue is being handled in the frame of “the international community vs. North Korea.” We are witnessing tangible achievements of the efforts in areas like shipping, finance, and trade. Even North Korea itself is revealing its sense of crisis by admitting that “(quote) sanctions are stifling us (unquote).” The increasing number of North Korean defections this year, including the recent defection of a North Korean senior diplomat, may also be a testament to the effects of tougher sanctions and heightened pressures.

The ROK government is strongly committed to breaking, once and for all, the vicious cycle of ‘provocation leading to dialogue, followed by yet another provocation.’ With the strong will to make real progress on the North Korean nuclear issue, we continue to take resolute and effective measures to create an environment to sharpen the choice for Pyongyang. The ROK government took the lead in such efforts with the agonizing decision to shut down the Kaesong Industrial Complex last February. The US, Japan, the EU and Australia are enforcing strong unilateral sanctions that complement the UN Security Council resolutions and the international community is applying full pressure against North Korea. Pyongyang has now become more isolated than ever at both the diplomatic and economic fronts.

Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, however, North Korea continues to launch short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles and submarine-launch ballistic missiles. Pyongyang may believe that if it persists in conducting these provocations on a routine basis, the international community will somehow accept them as a given reality. But they can’t be more wrong. We must never allow North Korea to get away with such impunity. North Korea’s provocations will only strengthen our resolve to impose further sanctions and apply increased pressure in response. We must demonstrate that our commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea is much more robust and unwavering than the North’s nuclear ambitions. By doing so, we will be able to make Pyongyang realize that it can never achieve its aims by continuing nuclear and missile development, and eventually induce the North to come back to the table for meaningful dialogue on denuclearization.

We have not yet closed the door to dialogue. As President Park mentioned in her Liberation Day address in August, the opportunity for peace and co-prosperity is always open, as long as Pyongyang makes the right choice and shows sincerity towards denuclearization. The choice is for North Korea to make. I hope that the regime will come to its senses and make the right choice before it is too late.

I look forward to a productive discussion today with diverse ideas and viewpoints from both discussants and the audience, and hope that such discussion may contribute to solving the last remaining non-proliferation challenge of our time.

Thank you. /End/