The article analyses the relationship between domestic and security policies in South Kore

Kivimaki, Timo A.

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        Citation for published version:Kivimaki, TA 2015, 'Kim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea' The Conversation.Publication date:2015Document VersionEarly version, also known as pre-printLink to publicationPublisher RightsUnspecifiedUniversity of BathGeneral rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.Download date: 13. May. 2019Timo A. Kivimäki17 March 2015, 2.14pm GMTKim Jong-un is not the only obstruction topeace in KoreaAU T H O RProfessor of InternationalRelations at University ofBathSome of world’s leading peace specialists gathered in Seoul recently to come up with someideas on how to break the deadlock between North and South Korea.There is no immediate danger of war between the two, but a peace treaty is still a distantprospect – and reunification an even more distant hope. And indeed the talks revealed asmuch, despite the key role played by Martti Ahtisaari in the talks. Ahtisaari won the NobelPeace prize and is a notable peace broker who mediated the Aceh peace talks in Indonesia –the only truly successful peace process to have taken place in East Asia this century.One-way conversationThe fundamental problem with the South Korean approach to Korean peace was evident inthe talks – there was no North Korean representation. It is more than seven years since thetwo Koreas came together in a summit and almost as long since the six-party talks on Koreanpeace ended.North Korea feels that it is expected to come begging to the negotiation table while, at thesame time, the South campaigns for regime change and conducts military exercises with theUS that North Korea takes as a threat of invasion.Instead of a direct dialogue, the government of South Korea is waiting for the North Koreanregime to collapse – even though an ever increasing number of experts think that completelyunrealistic. And while the South has been waiting, the North has significantly strengthened itsmilitary capabilities, including its nuclear preparedness, while its ordinary citizens descendfurther into poverty.Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland, meets SouthKorean foreign minister Yun Byung-Se. EPA/Jeon Heon-KyunKim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea https://theconversation.com/kim-jong-un-is-not-the-only-obstruction-t...1 of 2 15/04/2015 13:15Party politicsEven the prospect of change of government in South Korea doesn’t mean progress is on thecards. It is widely speculated that Moon Jae-in, the leader of opposition party New PoliticsAlliance for Democracy, will become president in the 2017 elections but, diplomacy with theNorth seems to be a domestic, party-political issue for him.I asked him how he intends tohelp the government in itsfragile efforts to prepare thecountry for peace andreunification, and how hewould involve the currentruling party in his own peaceefforts. The oppositionleader’s response was onlytoo familiar: cooperation isonly possible once the rulingparty starts supporting hisown party’s line. There mustbe unconditional directdialogue with North Koreaand the continuation ofsix-party talks.Moon does not expect such achange to be forthcomingthough. In fact, he seemedrather satisfied that there islittle hope for initiatives suchas the Presidential Committeefor the Preparation of Korea’s Reunification to bear fruit before the election.Instead of helping, Moon seems to want to want to use the stalemate to bolster his electioncampaign. In fact, the opposition leader’s approach to his opponent is almost identical to thegovernment’s approach to North Korea. Serious dialogue on cooperation with the opponent isconditional on compromises. Rather than cooperating, Moon too wants to wait for the downfallof his rival.StalemateAsked by a member of the Presidential Committee for the Preparation of Korea’s Reunificationif there was any hope for Korea were he to be appointed as mediator, Ahtisaari said at thetalks that only the conflicting parties can make peace. A mediator could only help, andAhtisaari would only consider accepting such a task if he could see that the parties to theconflict were prepared to get serious and that the will to peace and compromises was stronglyfelt both in the ruling parties as well as in the opposition.And as long as peace with the North is used as a tool in South Korean party politics –particularly as an election approaches, the will that Ahtisaari was calling for cannot exist.Korea will be ready for peace only when the will to cooperate and enter into a genuinedialogue emerges – from the South as well as the North.Moon Jae-In may not have his priorities right. EPA/JeonHeon-KyunKim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea https://theconversation.com/kim-jong-un-is-not-the-only-obstruction-t...2 of 2 15/04/2015 13:15

Kim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea

        Citation for published version:Kivimaki, TA 2015, 'Kim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea' The Conversation.<http://theconversation.com/kim-jong-un-is-not-the-only-obstruction-to-peace-in-korea-38863 >Publication date:2015Document VersionEarly version, also known as pre-printLink to publicationPublisher RightsUnspecifiedUniversity of BathAlternative formatsIf you require this document in an alternative format, please contact:openaccess@bath.ac.ukGeneral rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.Download date: 05. Jul. 2024Timo A. Kivimäki17 March 2015, 2.14pm GMTKim Jong-un is not the only obstruction topeace in KoreaAU T H O RProfessor of InternationalRelations at University ofBathSome of world’s leading peace specialists gathered in Seoul recently to come up with someideas on how to break the deadlock between North and South Korea.There is no immediate danger of war between the two, but a peace treaty is still a distantprospect – and reunification an even more distant hope. And indeed the talks revealed asmuch, despite the key role played by Martti Ahtisaari in the talks. Ahtisaari won the NobelPeace prize and is a notable peace broker who mediated the Aceh peace talks in Indonesia –the only truly successful peace process to have taken place in East Asia this century.One-way conversationThe fundamental problem with the South Korean approach to Korean peace was evident inthe talks – there was no North Korean representation. It is more than seven years since thetwo Koreas came together in a summit and almost as long since the six-party talks on Koreanpeace ended.North Korea feels that it is expected to come begging to the negotiation table while, at thesame time, the South campaigns for regime change and conducts military exercises with theUS that North Korea takes as a threat of invasion.Instead of a direct dialogue, the government of South Korea is waiting for the North Koreanregime to collapse – even though an ever increasing number of experts think that completelyunrealistic. And while the South has been waiting, the North has significantly strengthened itsmilitary capabilities, including its nuclear preparedness, while its ordinary citizens descendfurther into poverty.Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland, meets SouthKorean foreign minister Yun Byung-Se. EPA/Jeon Heon-KyunKim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea https://theconversation.com/kim-jong-un-is-not-the-only-obstruction-t...1 of 2 15/04/2015 13:15Party politicsEven the prospect of change of government in South Korea doesn’t mean progress is on thecards. It is widely speculated that Moon Jae-in, the leader of opposition party New PoliticsAlliance for Democracy, will become president in the 2017 elections but, diplomacy with theNorth seems to be a domestic, party-political issue for him.I asked him how he intends tohelp the government in itsfragile efforts to prepare thecountry for peace andreunification, and how hewould involve the currentruling party in his own peaceefforts. The oppositionleader’s response was onlytoo familiar: cooperation isonly possible once the rulingparty starts supporting hisown party’s line. There mustbe unconditional directdialogue with North Koreaand the continuation ofsix-party talks.Moon does not expect such achange to be forthcomingthough. In fact, he seemedrather satisfied that there islittle hope for initiatives suchas the Presidential Committeefor the Preparation of Korea’s Reunification to bear fruit before the election.Instead of helping, Moon seems to want to want to use the stalemate to bolster his electioncampaign. In fact, the opposition leader’s approach to his opponent is almost identical to thegovernment’s approach to North Korea. Serious dialogue on cooperation with the opponent isconditional on compromises. Rather than cooperating, Moon too wants to wait for the downfallof his rival.StalemateAsked by a member of the Presidential Committee for the Preparation of Korea’s Reunificationif there was any hope for Korea were he to be appointed as mediator, Ahtisaari said at thetalks that only the conflicting parties can make peace. A mediator could only help, andAhtisaari would only consider accepting such a task if he could see that the parties to theconflict were prepared to get serious and that the will to peace and compromises was stronglyfelt both in the ruling parties as well as in the opposition.And as long as peace with the North is used as a tool in South Korean party politics –particularly as an election approaches, the will that Ahtisaari was calling for cannot exist.Korea will be ready for peace only when the will to cooperate and enter into a genuinedialogue emerges – from the South as well as the North.Moon Jae-In may not have his priorities right. EPA/JeonHeon-KyunKim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea https://theconversation.com/kim-jong-un-is-not-the-only-obstruction-t...2 of 2 15/04/2015 13:15

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Kim Jong-un is not the only obstruction to peace in Korea

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