Category: Peace News

Conversation between Australia & Korea

Deputy Foreign Minister Yoon Soon-koo held the fifth Korea-Australia Strategic Dialogue with Australian Deputy Foreign Minister Richard Maude in Canberra on 18th of July to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula. It also stressed the importance of cooperation from major regional partners, including Australia, in order to achieve substantial results in the upcoming negotiations.

In response, Deputy Maude said, “We expect the Panmunjeom Declaration and the North-Korea USA Summit to be implemented as soon as possible, while supporting the Korean government’s efforts to develop a complete denuclearization and a permanent peace regime.”

North Korean Nuclear Issue can not be the subject of bargaining

The Australian government called it extremely disappointing that U.S. President Donald Trump cancelled the talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The responsibility seems to be closer to North Korea.

The Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said, “Even now North Korea should show the truth and reality of its denuclearization commitments.” and stressed that “Until North Korea takes verifiable, complete and irreversible denuclearization steps, economic and diplomatic pressures from the United States, Australia and the international community will continue to be maximized.”

The Australian Secretary of Defense Christopher Pyne pointed, “Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a top priority for both the United States and Australia, and the denuclearization defined by North Korea is not a measure entirely corresponding to our national interests. This is possible only when the North has sincerity.”

This day, President Donald Trump earlier sent an official letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to cancel the summit. President Trump said he knew the anger and public hostility of North Korea’s recent remarks. Especially, he said “You’re talking about your nuclear capability” but “I pray to God that that (our nuclear capability) will never be used because we are so strong and powerful” This was a warning remark.

After North-Korea USA Summit, Something changed

In this agreement, the term CD (Complete Denuclearization) was used instead of the term CVID (Complete, Verifiable and Irreversible Denuclearization), which the United States has been asking for. Also, Trump said he would stop the joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States. Contrary to the aggressive attitude that North Korea and the U.S. lately showed, political pundits say tension between the two countries has eased greatly. As a result, many experts said that Trump is one step closer to the Nobel Peace Prize.

Some say that North Korea is the winner, the U.S. is the loser&winner, and South Korea is the loser. However it is clear that the Moon Jae-in is the midwife of the North-Korea USA Summit in many ways. Mr. Moon persuaded Chairman Kim to engage himself in dialogue with the U.S. President Moon persuaded Chairman Kim to engage himself in dialogue with the U.S. By turning all the credit to President Trump, Mr. Moon made him an active participant in the North-Korea USA Summit. Bill Clinton, former president of the United States assessed it “Moon Jae-in the president is a true hero”. In the process, President Moon left a famous saying in Korean diplomatic history that “the Nobel Peace Prize is for Trump and we only need to bring peace.”

Australian experts of international politics

Regarding the peace process going on on the Korean Peninsula, international political experts, who are leading the Australian think tank, said that the possibility of a complete denuclearization is somewhat low but a continuous dialogue with North Korea is needed.

Rory Medcalf, the president of the Australian National University said, “we think we need to make every effort to attract North Korea to a legal-based order.” He added, “If someone has to play an additional role in communicating with North Korea (with the U.S. etc.), Australia may be a potential country to do so.”

Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), said in interview “we believe that the possibility of CVID (a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization) of North Korea is low” and claimed “the North Korea does not conduct any missile or nuclear tests, but it still develops nuclear capability.”

At the same time, he added, “we need to build a reliable management mechanism in the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) by increasing communication and contact with North Korea.”

Reunification is God’s will.

The agreement at the North-Korea USA Summit is only a small step for two countries. The problem is a credible follow-up measure. Action should be taken to build trust. This agreement could bear fruit if North Korea and the United States continue to engage in direct talks, build trust one by one, and establish liaison offices in Pyongyang and Washington in the near future.

When this happens, we believe that it will be a great blessing for all mankind beyond the Korean Peninsula. Former East Germany Prime Minister Lothar de Maizière, who achieved reunification, said that “Reunification was the will of heaven. It happens like a miracle when human endeavor is met with internal and external conditions.” The unification of the Korean Peninsula will be natural, if people’s aspirations and the meaning of heaven are gathering, just like East and West Germany. If so, it is the duty of leaders of religion and politics to move the minds of the world toward reunification.

Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!