Keynote Speech
by H.E. Yun Byung-se
Minister of Foreign Affairs

2014 Asian Leadership Conference
March 3, 2014

Prime Minister De Maiziere (드메지에르),
Chairman Bang Sang-hoon (방상훈),
The Honorable Choi Kyung-hwan (최경환),
The Honorable Chun Byung-hun (전병헌),
Chairman Jim Rogers,
Excellencies, and
Distinguished Guests,

As was pointed out by many speakers today, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and next year will mark the 70th anniversary of the division of the Korean Peninsula.

During this time, Germany has achieved political unification and is now nearing the completion of social and economic integration. It has become an integral part of Europe and a leading member of G-8 that contributes to the regional and global peace.

In contrast, 75 million Koreans are still living under the longest lasting armistice in history, that is neither war nor peace. As was clear from last week’s reunion of separated families, we haven’t even institutionalized the regular meetings among families, one of the most basic humanitarian issues between the two Koreas.

Furthermore, North Korea’s ongoing nuclear weapons development continues to present a grave threat to the peace and security of not only Northeast Asia, but the entire world.

Looking beyond the Peninsula, despite the accelerated economic interdependence, conflicts over history, territory, maritime security are heightening the political and security tensions in the region.

For the past 2 decades, we spoke of the dawn of the Asian Century. But what we are witnessing now is the growing Asian paradox.

Against such a turbulent geopolitical landscape, this conference organized under the theme of “One Korea, New Asia” is very timely and more than appropriate.

Taking this opportunity, I wish to welcome all participants from around the world for coming to Korea, and thank Chairman Bang Sang-hoon and Chosun Ilbo for organizing this important forum.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

They say that history is a mirror to the future. Although I may not always agree with the thesis that history repeats itself, but certainly history gives us ample insights.

40 years ago around this time, leaders of the US and China surprised the world with the announcement of the Shanghai Communique and ushered in an era of détente.

Both Koreas lost no time in adapting to this dramatic shift in global geopolitics and soon announced July 4 South-North Joint Statement. This was followed by June 23 Declaration on Peaceful Reunification that ended my country’s version of the Hallstein principle. I don’t need to delve into what a drastic shift of paradigm they were.

Since then, China embraced reform and liberalization to become an integral part of the international community – developing into the so-called G-2, while Korea’s efforts to bring about détente on the Korean Peninsula was short lived.

20 years ago, the end of the Cold War symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany brought about another round of historical transformation in the Asian and the global order. Korea once again pursued rapprochement with the North, giving birth to the South-North Basic Agreement and the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Furthermore, Korea’s Nordpolitik significantly broadened its diplomatic horizon, reaching deeply into the former Soviet bloc and China.

Unfortunately, despite the continued success of Nordpolitik, North Korea continued to remain a missing link in the global wave of changes. Instead, it refused to abide by international obligations it accepted and opted to follow the path of nuclear weapons development. The nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula escalated and the inter-Korean relations again entered the phase of mistrust and confrontation.

Today, after the two decades of the end of the Cold War, we are in the middle of yet another geopolitical shift. In North Korea, as symbolized by the brutal execution of Jang Sung-taek (장성택), de-factor number 2 man in North Korea, the regime’s uncertainty and unpredictability has reached a new height and its nuclear capability has become more sophisticated.

In Northeast Asia, prolonged conflicts over territory and destructive historical revisionism of certain politicial leaders undermining the post-war global order in Asia. I call this the third round of tectonic shift.

Under such circumstances, the message to the people of Korea is clear. We cannot let the Korean Peninsula swept away again by the turbulent tides of history. Instead, we are called upon to overcome this tide wisely and play an active role in creating a new order in Asia and the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Park Geun-hye government came into office under such difficult circumstances. In Chinese, the word for “crisis” is composed of two characters – “danger” and “opportunity.” In other words, a crisis can also be an opportunity in disguise. What turns a crisis into an opportunity is how one reads through the shifting tides of the time and stands ready to deal with the crisis.

President Park Geun-hye presented a series of policy initiatives aimed at transforming the vicious cycle of mistrust and confrontation to the virtuous cycle of trust and cooperation, paving the way toward a new Korea and a new Asia.

Based on trustpolitik, my government strengthened relations with its neighbors. In other words, Korea upgraded its alliance with the United States and deepened the strategic partnership with China and Russia.

In order to build confidence and promote common prosperity, my government took several initiatives such as what we call the Trust-Process on the Korean Peninsula and the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative. The announcement of the Eurasian Initiative late last year is another endeavor to expand the width of its diplomatic reach to Eurasia.

As the German reunification was closely linked to the European peace and integration, the issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula are also inextricably related to the peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia. As such, Korea is now seeking to create an international environment conducive to the peaceful unification of the peninsula, through building a strong network of trust among regional partners.

President Park Geun-hye’s declaration of “unification bonanza” is a corollary of such a broad vision and strategy. This government, from its inception, presented the happiness of all residents of the Korean Peninsula as one of the core prinicples of its foregin policy. In fact, it was a part of President Park’s vision for unification.

As President Park Geun-hye said in her speech this morning, “unification bonanza” is an expression of values such as peace, liberty, human rights, and prosperity that the unified Korea will embody. Furthermore, it is an expression of her will to pursue common prosperity and cooperation not only in the Korean Peninsula but also in Asia, and contribute to building a new future of the world.

Many tend to think that the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent German reunification came all of a sudden. However, as the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl remarked, “without the foundation laid 15 years ago for a peaceful order encompassing the whole of Europe, it would not have been possible to accomplish German unity,” the German unification was a result of years of preparation, to turn the pain of division to the joy of reunification.

Whereas the German reunification took place within the half century of division, Korea remains divided for nearly 70 years. We will not leave the legacy of the divided country to another generation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In her March 1st Address made 2 days ago, President Park Geun-hye laid out her vision of a unified Korea as being “the heart of peace connecting Eurasia and Northeast Asia.” “In a peaceful and unified Korea,” she said, “Northeast Asian countries will be able to find new opportunities for growth.”

Yes. The unified Korea will be a peace generator. The unified Korea will be free of nuclear weapons and free of provocations. The unified Korea will forge a network of friendly and cooperative relations with its neighbors. To paraphrase Chancellor Kohl’s remarks, who said, “only peace will come from the German soil,” Only peace will come from the Korean Peninsula.

Next, the unified Korea will be a facilitator for regional stability. The unification will put an end to decades-long North Korean nuclear issue. The unified Korea will fend off the potential nuclear arms race in the region. It will not infringe on the security interests of its neighbors. It will expedite regional security cooperation, and promote universal values such as human rights and democracy. Peace and stability of Northeast Asia will be tightly anchored to the Korean Peninsula.

Finally, the unified Korea will be a new growth engine. The creation of 80-million large market in the Korean Peninsula will present new opportunities to its neighbors. The economy of unified Korea by 2030 will rival that of France, Germany, or Japan, according to Goldman Sachs. The value of unified Korea as an investment destination will grow exponentially, according to Chairman Jim Rogers.

The unification will connect Korea that remains as a virtual island back to the Eurasian continent. It will bridge the Pacific Ocean with Eurasia, making possible a network of logistics and transportation across the entire Eurasian continent. Like the blood circulating throughout a healthy body, people and goods will circulate throughout Eurasia.

As the German reunification was a critical turning point in the process of making a new Europe, the Korean unification will bring final closure to the last remnents of the Cold War and open a new chapter in history. As the unified Germany became the building block of European integration and prosperity at the western end of the Eurasia, the unified Korea will play the similar role at the eastern end of the Eurasia. It will usher in an era of Asian prosperity and the greater Eurasian integration and prosperity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The fragile peace we have had for the past 70 years is not durable. What the Park Geun-hye government is seeking is to build a genuine peace and to usher in an era of unification.

To make this into a reality, first, we will continue our efforts to build sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula. We will strengthen cooperation with the international community so as to deter and prevent North Korea’s reckless provocations.

Our top priority will remain the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue. (North Korea has broken its own commitments with the international community, simultaneously pursuing nuclear weapons and economic development and enhancing its nuclear capability.)

North Korea’s nuclear capability is in fact a clear and present danger, far more serious than the Iranian nuclear problem. We will pursue all possible means with sense of urgency to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem in a complete, verifiable, and irreversable manner.

Second, we will seek more actively to induce North Korea to change. From the Middle East to Myanmar, the world is witnessing the wave of change. North Korea cannot be free from such change. Change of North Korea is at the heart of building substantive peace. Improving the quality of life of North Koreans, is a pressing humanitarian concern which requires our assistance.

Finally, we will endeavor to create an environment which a unified Korea will be regarded as blessing. Views that were negative to the idea of unification or preferring status-quo instead are now changing. We are making efforts to remind that the unification will be of benefit, not burden to the neighbors of the Korean Peninsula.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

President Bush, who participated in this year’s conference, made a historic visit to DMZ during his visit to Korea 12 years ago. On that occasion, he left a signature on a railroad tie with words “May this railroad unite Korean families.” Today, this railroad tie is being kept at Railroad Museum, waiting for the day when the rail track to North Korea will be reconnected, and this railroad tie will be placed at the end of the Southern track.

Mahatma Ghandi once said, “the future depends on what we do in the present.” If we do not wait for changes but make changes, the day that President Bush’s railroad tie is put to use will come sooner than later.

Nearly a century ago, our ancestors, unable to see clearly through the shifting tides of global politics experienced the unspeakable pain of losing their homeland. That pain continues to this day.

Today, Korea is endeavoring to realize a unified Korea in which all residents are happy and blessed by the global community. I wish to count on you to be our partner in making one Korea, a new Asia, and a better World.

In this journey toward a new kind of Korea and a new kind of Asia, I hope we can share the joy of being present at creation together.

Thank you very much.