Blue House reiterates support for “comprehensive, step-by-step resolution” of North Korean nuclear issue

Posted on : 2018-04-04 18:36 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
The Libyan model of denuclearization is held up as an example of one possible framework
A view of the Blue House
A view of the Blue House

The Blue House reiterated on Apr. 3 that it would be following a principle of “comprehensive, step-by-step resolution” for the denuclearization road map to be achieved through an inter-Korean summit on Apr. 27 and North Korea-US summit in May. President Moon Jae-in previously stressed the importance of a “step-by-step and comprehensive approach” to a fundamental resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue during a July 2017 speech at the invitation of Germany’s Körber Foundation. Noting that the issue had become “far more advanced and difficult than before,” Moon declared at the time that a “step-by-step and comprehensive approach is needed.”

“Our administration plans to continue working with the international community on a comprehensive resolution to issues on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, including the complete dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear weapons, establishment of a peace regime, alleviating North Korea’s security and economic concerns, and improving North Korea-US and North Korea-Japan relations,” he said in the speech last year.

A senior Blue House official told reporters the same day that a “package deal and step-by-step resolution are really two sides of the same coin.”

“A denuclearization agreement will need to be comprehensive, and that agreement’s implementation process will need to be gradual,” the official explained.

The official also mentioned the “Libyan approach” to denuclearization, which has been often cited as a leading example of a “package deal” exchanging denuclearization for normalization of relations.

“They went through various stages leading up to total denuclearization, including the lifting of economic sanctions, formation of a liaison office, and establishment of diplomatic relations,” the official said.

“In the end, the resolution and implementation processes will have to proceed as one, and that’s why we use the terms ‘comprehensive’ and ‘stepwise.’”

The official also made it clear that the distinct differences from the past in denuclearization discussions through summits between South and North and with other countries involved in Korean Peninsula issues represent a positive development, comparing the current case with the 1994 Agreed Framework in Geneva, which involved a suspension of nuclear development in exchange for North Korea-US diplomatic relations and a light-water reactor power generation facility, and the adoption of a Joint Statement on Sept. 19, 2005, pledging North Korea’s abandonment of nuclear weapons, return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework, and signing of a peace agreement.

“The current case is not a bottom-up approach, but a top-down comprehensive agreement where the leaders hold decision-making authority,” the official explained. “So the agreements are going to be reached a bit faster and be more definite, and the verification will be more efficient.”

The official sent a message of caution over press reports predicting North Korea’s denuclearization road map, citing the examples of denuclearization processes in Libya and Ukraine.

“There have been various speculative articles about the ‘Libyan approach’ or the ‘Ukraine’ or ‘Malta’ approach, and different proposed scenarios for South Korea-North Korea-US or South Korea-North Korea-US-China summits, but nothing has been decided at this point,” the official said.

“The Blue House is focusing its energies for now on preparing for the inter-Korean summit for a comprehensive discussion of denuclearization.”

By Kim Bo-hyeop, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

button that move to original korean article (클릭시 원문으로 이동하는 버튼)

Related stories

Most viewed articles