Author: wpc_editor

A senior South Korean presidential aide said Monday that unification between the two rival Koreas could become a “magic bullet” to a nuclear row and other issues on the Korean Peninsula.

Ju Chul-ki, senior presidential foreign affairs secretary, also said a successful denuclearization of the divided peninsula could give a boost to international efforts to make a world free from nuclear weapons.

“The six-nation talks should be resumed and South and North Korea should pursue direct talks to lay the groundwork for eventual unification of the two Koreas,” Ju said in a session at the World Policy Conference, an annual international meeting, in Seoul.

Ju’s comments came three days after the top nuclear envoys of China and Japan met in Beijing to discuss ways to jump-start the long-stalled talks on ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Still, Sung Kim, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, said Washington won’t resume the nuclear talks unless Pyongyang shows its seriousness about denuclearization.

North Korea, which has conducted three nuclear tests, has shown no signs of giving up its nuclear ambition. The North also views its nuclear programs as a powerful deterrent against what it claims is Washington’s hostile policy toward it.

The six-nation talks, involving South Korea, North Korea, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan, were last held in December 2008.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has made strong pitches for unification in recent months, saying unification would be a “bonanza” for both Koreas as well as a blessing for neighboring countries.

South Korea believes unification would provide the Korean people with a springboard to prosperity by marrying South Korea’s capital and technology with North Korea’s rich natural resources.

However, North Korea has long suspected that Seoul could be plotting to absorb Pyongyang. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) — President Park Geun-hye said Monday that South Korea will make efforts to hold a summit with China and Japan, the latest move that underscores her commitment to advancing ties with the two Asian neighbors.

The remarks came three weeks after she suggested there are uncertainties over a potential summit with Chinese and Japanese leaders.

“The South Korean government will make efforts to ensure a trilateral summit can take place based on the meeting of their foreign ministers in the near future,” Park said in a keynote speech at the World Policy Conference, an annual international meeting, in Seoul.

In November, she floated the idea of resuming a regular trilateral summit, which has been put on hold since May 2012 due to tensions between South Korea and Japan and between China and Japan over territorial and other history-related issues.

Japan controlled much of China in the early part of the 20th century.

South Korea has said a trilateral summit might be held if the countries successfully conclude their foreign ministers’ meeting and conditions mature.

It remains unclear whether South Korea and Japan can make any progress in addressing the issue of elderly Korean women who were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japan’s World War II soldiers.

Korean sex slaves, commonly called “comfort women,” have been one of the knottiest issues stemming from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

Also Monday, Park pressed North Korea again to abandon its nuclear weapons program, calling it “the biggest destabilizing factor” not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Northeast Asia.

Despite international pressure, North Korea has repeatedly vowed to develop its economy and nuclear arsenal in tandem, viewing its nuclear programs as a powerful deterrent against what it claims is Washington’s hostile policy toward it.

Park said North Korea’s policy is “incompatible” and accused North Korea of worsening the human rights situation in the North.

La présidente sud-coréenne Park Geun-hye prononce un discours ce lundi à l`hôtel Conrad à Séoul lors de la cérémonie d`ouverture de la septième édition de la World Policy Conference (WPC)

SEOUL, 08 déc. (Yonhap) — La présidente Park Geun-hye a répété que «le nucléaire nord-coréen est la plus grande inquiétude non seulement pour la péninsule coréenne mais aussi pour toute l’Asie du Nord-Est, en menaçant la paix mondiale» lors de la cérémonie d’ouverture de la septième édition de la World Policy Conference (WPC) qui a débuté ce lundi matin à Séoul.

Dans son discours d’inauguration, Park a présenté la «diplomatie de confiance» de Séoul visant à bâtir la confiance entre les pays de l’Asie du Nord-Est.

Selon elle, les deux politiques contradictoires et incompatibles de la Corée du Nord, l’armement nucléaire et la croissance économique, ont aggravé la situation des droits de l’Homme dans le pays communiste. «Après l’adoption d’une résolution contre les violations des droits de l’Homme dans le pays, la Corée du Nord est en train de menacer la communauté internationale en parlant de réaction ferme», a indiqué Park.

«Si la Corée du Nord abandonne le nucléaire pour se diriger vers l’amélioration de la vie de son peuple, la communauté internationale soutiendra la croissance économique de la Corée du Nord et la guerre froide sur la péninsule coréenne sera finie», a déclaré la présidente.

Pour elle, la réunification pacifique des deux Corées ouvrira une nouvelle voie pour l’Asie du Nord-Est et contribuera beaucoup au renforcement de la gouvernance globale. «L’unification des Corées sera un jackpot pour toute l’humanité, au-delà des frontières coréennes.»

Afin de rétablir la confiance en Asie du Nord-Est, il faut d’abord que les pays de la région s’entraident dans des secteurs concrets et pratiques, comme la sécurité nucléaire, le changement climatique, la gestion des catastrophes et la sécurité énergétique, pour enfin réaliser un processus de coopération multilatérale comme en Europe, a-t-elle ajouté.

«Le gouvernement sud-coréen fera des efforts pour organiser une réunion entre ministres des Affaires étrangères Séoul-Pékin-Tokyo prochainement et enfin un sommet trilatéral» en vue de renforcer la coopération entre les trois pays, a déclaré Park. Elle a également insisté sur le fait que Séoul continuera à coopérer avec les pays concernés comme les Etats-Unis et la Russie pour assurer la paix en Asie du Nord-Est, et a affiché son souhait de voir la Corée du Nord se joindre à ces efforts.

Concernant l’«initiative de l’Eurasie» entrant dans le cadre des politiques de Park envers la Corée du Nord et du projet du Transsibérien, Park a dit souhaiter concrétiser cette politique à travers une coopération économique entre les deux Corées et la Russie.

La WPC, organisée par l’Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI), a été lancée en 2008 en France. C’est la première fois qu’un pays asiatique accueille cette conférence.

La présidente sud-coréenne Park Geun-hye et le fondateur et directeur général de l`Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI) Thierry de Montbrial

 

SEOUL, 08 déc. (Yonhap) — La septième édition de la World Policy Conference (WPC) a ouvert ses portes ce lundi à Séoul pour durer trois jours.

La WPC est organisée chaque année par l’Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI) depuis 2008 et c’est la première fois que cet événement se déroule en Asie.

Les perspectives sur la péninsule coréenne et dans l’Asie du Nord-Est, les relations Chine-Etats-Unis, la géopolitique et la géo-économie de l’Eurasie, les questions liées au Moyen-Orient et à l’Afrique, les inégalités et la mondialisation seront abordés au cours de 12 sessions lors de ce forum international.

«L’équilibre du pouvoir collectif, la sécurité et la paix sont des biens publics qui se complètent», a déclaré le directeur général de l’IFRI, Thierry de Montbrial, dans son discours lors de la cérémonie d’ouverture de la WPC. «Pour l’établissement de l’ordre mondial au XXIe siècle, le monde ne doit pas être divisé», a-t-il ajouté.

La présidente sud-coréenne Park Geun-hye, l’ancien président de la Commission européenne José Manuel Barroso, l’ancien secrétaire américain à la Défense Robert Gates, le président du Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Richard Haass, le vice-ministre des Affaires étrangères russe Igor Morgulov, l’ancien président de la Banque centrale européenne Jean-Claude Trichet, l’ancien directeur général de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) Pascal Lamy et d’autres personnalités mondiales se sont rassemblés à l’hôtel Conrad à Séoul afin de participer à cette conférence internationale.

Le ministre des Affaires étrangères sud-coréen Yun Byung-se offrira un dîner officiel ce soir.

President Park Geun-hye said Monday that Pyongyang’s pursuit of nuclear arms is the “most destabilizing” factor on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, and also poses a serious threat to world peace.

Speaking at the World Policy Conference in Seoul, Park also vowed to flesh out her “Eurasia” initiative as a platform to create new growth engines and build regional trust. The initiative calls for the linking of energy and logistics infrastructure across the continent

“I can’t help but mention North Korea’s insistence on the development of nuclear weapons ― which goes against the international trends (for peace) ― as one of the factors that restrict multilateral cooperation,” she said.

Launched in 2007 by the IFRI, a French research institute, the 7th WPC brought together some 300 prominent figures including political and business leaders, and civil society figures to discuss a set of global issues such as security in Asia and Europe, and climate change. The WPC session in Seoul was the first to take place in Asia.

Criticizing the North’s policy of developing its nuclear program and economy simultaneously as “contradictory,” Park pointed out that the policy has only worsened living conditions for North Korean citizens.

“What matters is North Korea’s attitude. Should the North give up its nuclear program and come forward to help enhance the livelihoods of its people, South Korea and the international community would work together to support the North’s economic development,” she said.

“Otherwise, the remnants of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula would not be removed.”

As for the Eurasia initiative, Park said that Seoul would step up efforts to develop and implement three-way cooperative projects among the two Koreas and Russia, as well as among the two Koreas and China.

“(The initiative) would help us link transport and energy networks beyond Northeast Asia into the Eurasian region. This would help create growth engines and accumulate trust in the realms of politics and security,” she said.

Her remarks about the initiative came as the momentum was building for the logistical cooperation among the two Koreas and Russia. Some 45,000 tons of coal from Russia made its way to Pohang via North Korea in a pilot program using the newly restored Rajin-Khasan railroad.

Park also used her speech at the WPC to promote her “Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation” initiative as an effective platform to build multilateral trust in the region, which has long been beset by territorial and historical disputes, and geostrategic rivalries.

She stressed the need for multilateral efforts to address the deep-seated distrust among nations in East Asia through seeking cooperation first on less sensitive issues such as climate change and disaster relief.

“Should countries in the region build practices of cooperation and dialogue initially on specific, practical issues such as nuclear safety, climate change, disaster relief and energy security, we would be able to develop a multilateral cooperative process like what Europe has achieved,” she said.

To this end, she stressed the need for South Korea, China and Japan to join forces so as to play a key role to strengthen regional cooperation. The three-way cooperation has weakened in recent years amid territorial and historical disputes among them.

1. Since its establishment in 2008, the World Policy Conference, while advocating for the French edition Davos’ (WPC) will be held at the Conrad Hotel in Seoul Yeouido between the 7th meeting comes 12.8. (May) -10 (Wed).        o French Institute for International Relations (IFRI: Institut Français des Relations Internationales) to hold that the conference organizers have prepared Manuel bar Australia (Jose Manuel Barroso)前EU Commission President, Robert Gates (Robert Gates)前US Secretary room, Richard Haas ( Richard Haass) CFR Chairman, Al Faisal TOUR key (Turki al Faisal) King Faisal Center director, Hubert gave beret (Hubert Vedrine)前French Foreign Minister, Joseph Nye (Joseph Nye)大Harvard professor, Jean-Claude Trichet (Jean Cluade Trichet )前European Bank, Anatoly Tikhonov News Thor (Anatoly Torkunov) Moscow Institute of International Relations – General dignitaries are expected to attend, including many        ※ IFRI is a leading European think tank, founded in 1979 in France, the international key issues and discuss a variety of international governance improvements For WPC process launched in 2008 

2. WPC selected Korea as a growth Hanba, organized by institute IFRI side advent of an era in the 21st century, Asia, etc. We appreciate diplomacy (Trustpolitik) and chairwoman of the phase highlighted by the President of South Korea’s first venue in Asia representative international forum for global governance whilst areas was. It is estimated climate change, sustainable development, cyber security, global health, including that reflects the expectation that global governance aspects dealing with various issues of Korea to act as competence and experience relevant balancer have.    

 3. In this meeting the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, as well as Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa are expected to be a major regional conflict issues, as well as dealing with the global challenges of pan is often reinforced by comprehensive and constructive solutions on creative partnerships are presented.

4. As we are expected to trust the process on the Korean peninsula, Northeast Asia peace and cooperation initiatives, initiatives such as the Eurasian great opportunity to widen the international understanding and support for the trust foreign key policies.     o In particular, the first day of the meeting (12.8) is a Northeast Asia Peace and the European Cooperation Initiative expected to focus on dealing with the East Asian security order bar, the nature of political awareness and event decorating the damage that has promoted a series of international events for specific cooperative projects in the second half of this year after the excavation of peace in Northeast Asia Cooperation Initiative 

5. Geumbeon world policy conference has also meant that a -ASEAN Commemorative Summit (12.11 to 12) being held immediately prior to, global governance sector representative international forums and 2015 in conjunction with the summit of East Asian regional representative council ahead of the launch of the ASEAN Community . This allows even our ‘global implementation happy times “vision implementation you want the international community to contribute in expanding the current issues facing the solving process is expected to be a good momentum.

지난 2008년부터 ‘프랑스판 다보스포럼’을 표방하면서 출범한 세계정책회의(WPC) 제7차 회의가 오는 12.8.(월)-10.(수) 사흘간 서울 여의도 콘래드 호텔에서 개최될 예정이다.

프랑스 국제관계연구소(IFRI : Institut Français des Relations Internationales) 주최로 개최되는 동 회의에는 조제 마뉴엘 바호주(Jose Manuel Barroso) 前 EU집행위원장, 로버트 게이츠(Robert Gates) 前 미국방장관, 리처드 하스(Richard Haass) CFR 회장, 투르키 알 파이잘(Turki al Faisal) 킹 파이잘 센터 소장, 위베르 베드린(Hubert Vedrine) 前 프랑스 외무장관, 조지프 나이(Joseph Nye) 하버드大 교수, 장 클로드 트리셰(Jean Cluade Trichet) 前 유럽은행장, 아나톨리 토르쿠노프(Anatoly Torkunov) 모스크바 국제관계연구소 총장 등 고위인사가 다수 참석 예정

※ IFRI는 1979년 프랑스에서 설립된 유럽의 대표적인 싱크탱크로서, 국제 주요사안과 다양한 국제 거버넌스 개선논의를 위하여 2008년부터 WPC 프로세스를 출범

WPC는 그간 글로벌 거버넌스 분야의 대표적 국제 포럼으로 성장한바, 주관 기관인 IFRI측은 21세기 아시아 시대 도래 속에 한국의 위상 부각과 박근혜 대통령의 신뢰외교(Trustpolitik) 등을 높이 평가하여 아시아 지역 최초 개최지로 한국을 선정하였다. 이는 기후변화, 지속가능발전, 사이버 안보, 국제보건 등 글로벌 거버넌스 측면의 다양한 이슈를 다루는데 한국이 가진 역량과 경험이 중요한 균형자 역할을 수행할 것이라는 기대가 반영된 것으로 평가된다.

이번 회의에서는 한반도와 동북아뿐만 아니라 우크라이나, 중동 및 아프리카 등 주요 지역분쟁 이슈는 물론 범세계적 도전들을 포괄적으로 다루는 가운데 다자주의 강화 및 창의적인 파트너쉽 구축에 관한 건설적인 해법들이 제시될 것으로 전망된다.

우리로서는 한반도 신뢰프로세스, 동북아평화협력구상, 유라시아 이니셔티브 등 신뢰외교 주요 정책에 대한 국제적 이해와 지지를 넓히는 좋은 계기가 될 것으로 기대된다.

특히, 회의 첫날(12.8)은 동북아평화협력구상 및 유럽과 동아시아 안보질서를 중점적으로 다룰 예정인 바, 금년 하반기 이후 동북아평화협력구상에 대한 정치적 인식 제고 및 구체적 협력사업 발굴을 위해 추진해온 일련의 국제행사의 대미를 장식하는 행사의 성격으로 이번 세계정책회의는 한-ASEAN 특별정상회의(12.11-12) 직전에 개최됨으로써, 글로벌 거버넌스 분야 대표적 국제포럼과 2015년 아세안공동체 출범을 앞둔 동아시아지역 대표적 지역협의체와의 정상회의를 연계한다는 의미도 가진다. 이를 통해 국제사회가 당면한 현안 해결 과정에서 기여를 확대해 나가고자 하는 우리의 ‘지구촌 행복시대 구현’ 비전 이행에도 좋은 모멘텀이 될 것으로 기대된다.