North Korea Must Forgo Nuclear Weapons for Peace in the Region: Ambassador Cho

December 06, 2013

New Delhi: Highlighting the strategic landscape in Northeast Asia, which is shifting due to the North Korean nuclear issue, His Excellency Cho Tae-yong, Special Representative (Vice Minister level), for Korean Peninsula Affairs, Republic of Korea said that North Korea must forgo nuclear weapons completely to bring about a viable solution to the problem. Mr Tae-yong was delivering a special address on ‘The Situation of the Korean Peninsula and the ROK Policy towards North Korea’ at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) on December 6, 2013.

The North Korean leadership has to make fundamental change in its approach said Ambassador Cho, insisting that South Korea must demand bold steps, involving verifiable commitment from North Korea in a time bound manner.

Terming the North Korean Nuclear issue as a political, rhetorical threat initially, he said that it has now become a military threat.

While discussing China’s perspective on the Korean issue, Ambassador Cho said that China is trying hard towards the resumption of the Six Party Talks to increase stability and to minimise provocation. South Korea will keep making efforts to solve the issue peacefully, he stated.

However, he cautioned that the resumption of dialogue will not be easy in the present scenario as North Korea’s regime looks at nuclear weapons as a guarantee for survival.

South Korea’s policy towards North Korea depends upon deterrence and engagement, Ambassador Cho said.

Nearly 123 South Korean companies have invested in the Gaeseong Industrial complex providing livelihood to 50,000 North Koreans. So far 4321 Korean families have been reunited. However, these initiatives have been stopped lately as North-South relations have deteriorated. Under present condition, the resumption of the dialogue will be difficult, he said.

South Korea greatly values its strategic partnership India, Ambassador Cho said. The visit of President Park Geun-hye to India in January will further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.