외교백서영문02e 2012.10.

22 3:2 PM 페이지30
외교백서영문02e 2012.10.22 3:2 PM 페이지31

SECURING PEACE AND

STABILITY ON THE
KOREAN PENINSULA

Chapter 1 Maintaining Stability on the Korean Peninsula _ 32

Chapter 2 Creating Appropriate Circumstances for

Progress on the North Korean Nuclear Issue _ 39

Chapter 3 Enhancing and Developing the ROK-U.S.

Strategic Alliance _ 49

Chapter 4 Strengthening Cooperation with Neighboring

Countries _ 58
외교백서영문02e 2012.10.22 3:2 PM 페이지32

Chapter 1

Maintaining Stability on the Korean

Peninsula

Since the maintenance of stability on the Korean Peninsula was established as a

top policy objective, the ROK Government has closely cooperated with neighboring
countries to deter North Korea’s provocations and to induce its sincere attitude
towards improving inter-Korean relations. While maintaining the 5.24 Measures, the
ROK Government has taken various flexible measures to ease tension on the Korean
Peninsula and create stable conditions for inter-Korean dialogue. In this light, the ROK
Government provided humanitarian assistance to North Korea through civil and
international organizations, allowed non-political civil exchanges, and improved
working conditions at the Kaesung Industrial Complex.
However, North Korea’s continuous denial of any responsibility for the sinking of
the naval ship Cheonan and accusation that Seoul provoked the shelling of
Yeonpyeong Island, it was difficult to nurture the conditions for any progress in inter-
Korean relations. Internally, North Korea focused on the power succession of Kim
Jong-un and on economic achievements as it prepared for the unveiling of‘Strong
and Prosperous Nation’in 2012. Externally, North Korea adopted a pragmatic
approach by means of requesting food aid while simultaneously issuing threats and
proposing dialogue. The sudden death of Kim Jong-il on December 17, 2011 saw a
cloud of uncertainty hovering over the Korean Peninsula. Since Kim Jong-il’s death,
the ROK Government has made efforts to maintain peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula by closely communicating with neighboring nations including the U.S. and
China.

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1. Diplomatic Actions after Kim Jong-il’s Death

Immediately after the announcement of Kim Jong-il’s death on December 19,

2011, the ROK Government promptly activated diplomatic channels with the heads
and foreign ministers of the U.S., Japan, China, and Russia, among other countries, to
maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

During the telephone consultation between ROK-US Presidents immediately after
the announcement of Kim Jong-il’s death, President Obama reiterated U.S.’
commitment to defend the ROK and stressed the importance of close cooperation
between the two nations. President Lee Myung-bak also held consultations with the
heads of Japan and Russia as well as UN Secretary General and agreed to work closely
to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Close consultations with major countries at the foreign minister-level also took
place. On the day Kim Jong-il’s death was announced, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-
hwan held a telephone consultation with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during
which Secretary Clinton also reiterated U.S.’commitment to maintain peace and
stability on the Korean Peninsula. In addition, the ROK and the U.S. held numerous
consultations at various diplomatic and military levels in order to coordinate their
respective policies and shared information to identify any sign of unusual activities in
North Korea.
Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan also held a telephone consultation with Chinese
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, during which the two ministers agreed to work closely
with each other while reaffirming the importance of maintaining peace and stability
on the Korean Peninsula. Active consultations with foreign ministers from other
countries such as Japan, Australia, and U.K. also took place.
Through such diplomatic endeavors, the ROK Government has succeeded in
maintaining stability on the Korean Peninsula in the aftermath of Kim Jong-il’s death.
The ROK Government will continue to cooperate with the international community
and closely monitor developments in North Korea with the aim of maintaining stability
on the Korean Peninsula.

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2. Inter-Korean Relations

1) Policy of Mutual Benefit and Common Prosperity (MBCP)

The ROK Government has consistently carried out inter-Korean policy based on
mutual benefits and common prosperity to maintain peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula. While placing top priority on the denuclearization of North Korea, the ROK
Government has worked towards developing pragmatic and productive inter-Korean
relations, emphasizing earnest inter-Korean dialogue and reciprocal cooperation along
the way.
The ROK Government declared that it would respond to North Korean armed
provocations in a determined manner and that North Korea should take responsible
measures for the sinking of the naval ship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong
Island. Meanwhile, the ROK Government adopted a flexible approach by suggesting
inter-Korean dialogue on humanitarian issues regarding separated families and
abductees. Through such endeavors, the ROK Government strived to achieve progress
in inter-Korean relations. To enhance international community’s understanding of
inter-Korean relations and to ensure support for the ROK inter-Korean policy, the ROK
Government has held summit meetings with U.S, Japan, China, and Russia, among
others. The ROK Government also participated in various bilateral and multilateral talks
to explain and garner more support for its inter-Korean policy.

2) Support for International Community’s Humanitarian Assistance

and Cooperation Projects toward North Korea
In light of universal humanitarianism and the spirit of brotherhood, the ROK
Government has continuously participated in various international organizations’aid
projects directed towards North Korea and provided due assistance. Since the mid-
1990s, the ROK Government has participated in projects organized by WHO and
UNICEF that aim to improve the health and nutritional conditions of mothers and
children and provide adequate drinking water, environmental protection and
education. In 2011, the ROK Government provided UNICEF with US$ 5.65 million
towards providing medicines, medical supplies and nutritional assistance to vulnerable
groups including infants in North Korea. Based on humanitarian perspective, the ROK
Government will continue to provide support for the international community ’s aid

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projects directed towards North Korea.

3) Humanitarian Cooperation
In accordance with its principle of universal humanitarianism and in the spirit of
brotherhood, the ROK Government has been providing humanitarian assistance to
North Korea regardless of the political situation. The ROK Government is adhering to

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

the principle that, at the request of North Korea, it would consider providing direct
assistance to substantially help the North Korean people as well as placing priority on
offering relief aid in the event of a severe natural disaster in North Korea.
In accordance with such principles, the ROK Government approved approximately
13.1 billion KRW worth of civilian aid to North Korea in 2011. The ROK Government
also planned emergency relief worth around 5 billion KRW to help those affected by
the flood, but the emergency relief could not be delivered as North Korea declined to
accept it.

Humanitarian Aid to North Korea (2011)

(Unit: Billion KRW)
Type Amount Description
Gov ’t assistance 6.5 Assistance provided to North Korea through international organizations
Civil assistance 13.1 -
Total 19.6

The ROK Government has also maintained a consistent position on the issue of
separated families from a humanitarian perspective. It has continuously worked for the
unconditional reunion of separated families, regardless of the political situation.
Although the reunion of separated families has been suspended since November 2010
in the wake of the Yeonpyeong shelling, the ROK Government has maintained the
position that it is an important humanitarian issue that must be solved fundamentally
as soon as possible. Accordingly, the ROK Government proposed the reunion of
separated families in November 2011 at the General Assembly of the International Red
Cross. However, the plan was rejected by North Korea.
Furthermore, the ROK Government is working towards achieving prompt
resolution of the Korean war prisoners and abductees issues.

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4) North Korean Human Rights

The ROK Government views human rights as a universal value that must be dealt
with separately from other issues. The ROK Government is deeply concerned with the
human rights situation in North Korea and continues to cooperate with the
international community to address the situation. The ROK Government co-sponsored
the resolutions on the human rights situation in North Korea at the UN General
Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council in 2011. Such endeavors helped heighten
the international community’s awareness and enhance its understanding of the North
Korean human rights situation.
In November, upon UN Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in
North Korea Marzuki Darusman’s visit to ROK, the ROK government held
consultations and arranged Special Rapporteur’s meetings with civilian organizations
working for North Korean refugees and asylum seekers. The ROK Government
continues to participate in the international community’s efforts towards improving
the human rights situation in North Korea.

5) North Korean Refugees and Asylum Seekers

The ROK Government is dealing with issues concerning refugees and asylum
seekers from North Korea from a humanitarian perspective and in the spirit of
brotherhood. It is the principle of the ROK Government to provide protection and
assistance to all North Korean refugees who wish to settle in the ROK. For the safe and
swift transfer of North Korean refugees, the ROK Government maintains close
cooperation with international organizations and countries in which many North
Korean refugees reside. In particular, the ROK Government has advanced various
diplomatic initiatives on the international stage in order to prevent the repatriation of
North Korean refugees and asylum seekers. The ROK Government urged the
international community to abide by the principle of non-refoulement at several
occasions such as the UNHCR’s 62nd Executive Committee meeting and the 66th
Session of the UN General Assembly. It also co-sponsored the UN General Assembly
resolutions on the human rights situation in North Korea which urge the international
community to prevent the repatriation of North Korean refugees and asylum seekers.
As a result of such efforts, the number of North Korean refugees entering the
ROK has steadily risen since the mid-1990s. As of 2011, the total number of North

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Korean refugees who entered the ROK stands at 23,100.

Number of North Korean refugees entering the ROK

(Unit: Persons)
Year -’
98 -’
01 ’
02 ’
03 ’
04 ’
05 ’
06 ’
07 ’
08 ’
09 ’
10 ’
11 Total
No. of North
Korean 829 1,043 1,138 1,281 1,894 1,383 2,018 2,544 2,809 2,927 2,379 2,737 23,100
refugees

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

Furthermore, the ROK Government is making efforts to improve welfare services
provided for North Korean refugees by working to ensure their mental and physical
well-being while they wait to be transferred to the ROK. They are also provided with
books and educational programs which aim to help them adapt to new life in the
ROK. The ROK Government provides assistance including resettlement funds, housing
services, guidance on social adaptation and vocational training to those who have
been transferred to the ROK in order to help them adapt to society in a swift and
stable manner.

3. Multilateral Security Cooperation in Northeast Asia

Due to the suspension of the Six-Party Talks, the working group of the Northeast
Asia Peace and Security Mechanism (NEAPSM) has not been held since the last
meeting in Moscow in February 2009. The Working Group of NEAPSM was founded
as one of the five working groups of the Six-Party Talks in accordance with the
February 13 Agreement. The Working Group has held three rounds of meetings to
date, and has discussed the“Guiding principles for peace and security in Northeast
Asia.”If the Six-Party talks are resumed, discussions on the Northeast Asia peace and
security mechanism are expected to resume as well. The ROK Government will strive to
ensure that such discussions play a substantial role in mutual confidence building,
creation of common prosperity, and promotion of peace and security in the region.
Track 1.5 dialogues on Northeast Asia regional security are also under way, the
most prominent example of which is the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue
(NEACD). The 22nd NEACD was held in Honolulu, U.S. in October 2011. Government

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representatives and academics from the ROK, U.S., Japan, China, and Russia freely and
actively exchanged their opinions on various issues including North Korea’s domestic
situation, the North Korean nuclear issue, regional maritime security, and security
prospects following the leadership changes in Northeast Asia scheduled for 2012.

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Chapter 2

Creating Appropriate Circumstances

for Progress on the North Korean

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

Nuclear Issue

In 2011, the ROK Government continued its multifaceted diplomatic efforts for
the denuclearization of North Korea. The ROK Government viewed that in order to
achieve North Korea’s complete abandonment of its nuclear weapons and related
programs through the Six-Party Talks, it is important that North Korea show its
sincerity towards denuclearization through concrete actions. Thus, the ROK
Government urged North Korea to take the so-called“pre-steps”for the resumption
of the Six-Party Talks, which include suspending the uranium enrichment
program(UEP) at Yongbyon and allowing the IAEA inspectors to return to North Korea.
Having agreed that bilateral contacts with North Korea would be effective in
conveying the position of Seoul and Washington and persuading the North to
implement the pre-steps, the ROK and the U.S. carried forward the inter-Korean and
US-DPRK dialogues. As a result, the inter-Korean talks on denuclearization were held
in July and September followed by two rounds of US-DPRK dialogues. However, the
bilateral negotiation process was brought to a halt in the wake of the sudden death of
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in December 2011.

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1. Status of the Six-Party Talks

The Six-Party Talks, which began in August 2003 with the purpose of having
North Korea abandon its nuclear program, have been stalled since the parties reached
a deadlock at the latest meeting held in December 2008. While the talks produced
some positive results including the Joint Statement (2005) as well as the Agreements
on the Initial and Second-Phase Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement
(2007), there remain obstacles to fundamentally resolving the North Korean nuclear
issue. Meanwhile, in May 2009, North Korea conducted its second nuclear test, in
defiance of the agreements reached at the Six-Party Talks and the UN Security Council
Resolution 1718 (2006). In response, agreeing that the international community must
take clear and firm measures against North Korea’s provocations, the UN Security
Council unanimously adopted UNSC Resolution 1874 (2009), strengthening sanctions
against North Korea. Nonetheless, North Korea disclosed its UEP facilities and
construction site of a light water reactor at Yongbyon in November 2010, confirming
the allegation that North Korea had been steadily developing its UEP while the
negotiations were still underway. In the meantime, the North further aggravated
tensions on the Korean Peninsula by sinking the ROK naval vessel Cheonan, in March
2010 and launching an artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island in November the same
year.

2. ROK’s Efforts to Create an Appropriate Environment

to Resume the Six-Party Talks

Although some voiced their skepticism about the effectiveness of trying to resolve
the North Korean nuclear issue through negotiations, the ROK, the U.S., Japan, China
and Russia continued their efforts to resume dialogue, sharing the view that the Six-
Party Talks is the most effective and realistic way to deal with the issue peacefully.
At the annual year-end briefing by MOFAT in December 2010, President Lee
Myung-bak also emphasized this position stating that there would be“no other way
than to solve the North Korean nuclear problem diplomatically through the Six-Party

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외교백서영문02e 2012.10.22 3:2 PM 페이지41

Talks, and we should make greater progress on this issue in 2011”.

The ROK Government decided to continue its endeavors to resolve the nuclear
issue through the Six-Party Talks process with an underlying conviction that North
Korea’s behavioral pattern of elevating tension through provocation and then seeking
concession through negotiations should not be repeated again. During consultations
with the countries concerned, the ROK Government made clear that the UEP revealed

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

by North Korea in late 2010 was a clear violation of the relevant UNSC Resolutions and
the Joint Statement (2005), and that unless this issue was properly addressed, the
mere resumption of talks would bring little progress. Furthermore, the ROK pushed
forward with holding inter-Korean talks on denuclearization, exploring North Korea’s
sincerity and willingness of abandoning its nuclear program. Thus, the ROK maintained
its position that the appropriate environment for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks
should be created first through North Korea’s showing its willingness towards
denuclearization, manifested through the implementation of pre-steps, including
suspending the UEP at Yongbyon and accepting IAEA inspectors.
The ROK Government held a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with the
participants of the Six-Party Talks, namely the U.S., Japan, China, and Russia, to find
common ground among the five countries.
In 2011, through bilateral meetings with the U.S. at the Summit(once), Foreign
Minister(4 times), and Six-Party Talks chief negotiator(13 times) levels, the two
countries continued their close consultations on the North Korean nuclear issue,
including the North’s UEP and the resumption of the Six-Party Talks. In addition, the
ROK held Summit meetings(4 times), Foreign Ministers’meetings(7 times), and chief
negotiators’meetings(8 times) with Japan and reaffirmed the two countries’close
coordination on the North Korean nuclear issue. Moreover, the ROK, the U.S., and
Japan reaffirmed their strong cooperation through trilateral ministerial-level and senior
official-level meetings.
Meanwhile, the ROK continued its diplomatic efforts to strengthen cooperation
with China and Russia, in view of the importance of the five Parties sending a united
message to North Korea. Through Summit(twice), Foreign Ministers’(6 times), and Six-
Party Talks chief negotiators’meetings(8 times), the ROK explained its position on the
North Korean nuclear issue to China and encouraged China to take a more active role
in persuading the North to change its course. In addition, through multiple dialogues

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with Russia(a Summit meeting, two Foreign Ministers’meetings, two chief

negotiators’meetings), the two countries reached a common understanding on the
need for fostering an appropriate environment to resume the Six-Party Talks and the
unacceptability of North Korea’s UEP.

Consultations with Foreign Officials

Date Participants of the Meeting
2011.1.5 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.1.28 ROK-Russia Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.2.2 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.2.10 ROK-China Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.2.17 ROK-Japan Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.2.24 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs /U.S. State
2011.3.2
Department Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control
2011.3.8 ROK-Japan Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / .U.S State
2011.3.12
Department Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S.
2011.3.14
Department of Defense Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S. State
2011.4.12
Department Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
2011.4.13 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S. State
2011.4.14
Department Deputy Secretary(J. Steinberg)
2011.4.26, 4.29 ROK-China Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.4.28 ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Japanese
Ambassador to ROK
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / White
2011.5.4
House Coordinator for Arms Control and WMD, Proliferation, and Terrorism
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S.
2011.5.4
Ambassador to ROK
2011.5.11, 5.21 ROK-Japan Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.5.17 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.6.9 ROK-China Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks

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Date Participants of the Meeting

ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S. State
2011.6.10
Department Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
2011.6.14 ROK-Japan Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.6.22 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S.
2011.7.1
Ambassador to ROK

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

2011.7.18 ROK-Japan Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.7.22 1st Inter-Korean Bilateral Talks on Denuclearization (Bali)
- ROK-DPRK Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Japanese
2011.8.4
Ambassador to ROK
2011.8.25 ROK-China Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.8.29 ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Russian
Ambassador to ROK
2011.9.7 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.9.19 ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Special
Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues
2nd Inter-Korean Bilateral Talks on Denuclearization (Beijing)
2011.9.21
- ROK-DPRK Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.9.22 ROK-China Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Japanese
2011.9.27
Ambassador to ROK
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S. State
2011.10.6
Department Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S. State
2011.10.6
Department Deputy Secretary (W. Burns)
2011.10.13 ROK-Japan Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.10.25 ROK-US Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.10.27 ROK-Russia Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Chinese
2011.10.30
Ambassador to ROK
2011.11.1 ROK-China Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Japanese
2011.11.11
Ambassador to ROK
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Director
2011.11.14
General of the IAEA

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Date Participants of the Meeting

2011.11.14 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.11.17 ROK-U.S.-Japan Trilateral Senior Officials
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S.
2011.11.18
Ambassador to ROK
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / U.S. State
2011.12.5
Department Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Russian
2011.12.6
Ambassador to ROK
2011.12.8, 10 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.12.15 ROK-Japan Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.12.21 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
2011.12.22 ROK-China Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks
ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs / Japanese
2011.12.26
Ambassador to ROK
2011.12.28 ROK-U.S. Chief Representative to the Six-Party Talks

3. Securing International Support for the Denuclearization

of North Korea

North Korea’s disclosure of its UEP in 2010 not only clearly demonstrated the
threat the regime’s nuclear program poses to peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, but revealed how the program would seriously
undermine the non-proliferation efforts of the international community.
In 2011, the ROK Government continued to reach out to countries other than the
participants of the Six-Party Talks to increase the international community's
understanding of the serious threat North Korea’s nuclear program posed to the
region, and to garner support for the ROK's position. At the ROK-Australia Summit
(April 25), the two countries released a joint press statement urging North Korea to
cease all nuclear-related activities including its UEP. The ROK-Denmark Summit (May
12), ROK-EU Summit (November 3), ROK-ASEAN Summit (November 18), ROK-
ASEAN+3 Summit (November 18), and the East Asia Summit (November 19) were also
important opportunities for the ROK Government to secure the support of European

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and Southeast Asian countries for its policy on the North Korean nuclear issue. In
addition, the ROK closely consulted with the U.S. and Japan before the G8 Summit
Meeting (May 26-27) so that the meeting could issue a declaration that condemned
North Korea’s provocations and its nuclear weapons and missile programs and urged
North Korea to take concrete actions towards the resumption of the Six-Party Talks.
Furthermore, documents from various ministerial-level meetings addressed the North

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

Korean nuclear issue. Participants at the G8 Foreign Ministers’Meeting (March 14-
15), ASEM Foreign Ministers’Meeting (June 6-7), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (July
21-23) agreed upon the chairman's statements that expressed deep concern about
North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. These statements in particular stated
North Korea’s UEP as a serious violation of UNSC Resolutions 1718 and 1874, and
underlined the significance of a sincere and constructive inter-Korean dialogue.
Furthermore, the 55th IAEA General Conference adopted a resolution on
September 22 which expressed the international community’s concern about North
Korea’s UEP and its construction of a light water reactor. The resolution reaffirmed
that North Korea cannot have the status of a nuclear-weapon state, and strongly
urged North Korea to refrain from additional nuclear tests and to abide by its
obligations pursuant to the NPT and IAEA safeguards agreement.

Documents on the North Korean Nuclear Issue Adopted at International

Conferences in 2011
Date Occasion
2011.3.15 G8 Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Paris), Chairman’s Summary
2011.4.25 ROK-Australia Summit Meeting (Seoul), Joint Press Statement
2011.5.12 ROK-Denmark Summit Meeting (Copenhagen), Joint Statement
2011.5.27 G8 Summit (Deauville), Declaration
2011.6.7 ASEM Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Budapest), Chair’s Statement
2011.7.23 ARF Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Bali), Chairman’s Statement
2011.9.2 IAEA Director General’s Report on Application of Safeguards in the DPRK (Vienna)
55th IAEA General Conference Resolution on NPT Safeguards Agreement of the
2011.9.22
DPRK (Vienna)
UN General Assembly“United Action towards the Total Elimination of Nuclear
2011.12.2
Weapons”(New York)

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4. Inter-Korean Talks on Denuclearization

North Korea’s two major military provocations against the South in 2010
seriously aggravated the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Under such circumstances,
creating an environment conducive to the resumption of the Six-Party talks depended
not only on North Korea showing its sincerity towards denuclearization by
implementing the pre-steps, but also on maintaining a communication channel that
could foster understanding between the North and the South. Therefore, the ROK
Government pursued inter-Korean talks on denuclearization, while maintaining close
contact with Washington, Tokyo, Beijing, and Moscow to ensure support for the inter-
Korean talks. In particular, during the U.S.-China Summit in January, the two countries
agreed that improvement of inter-Korean relations was essential to achieving stability
on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.
On July 22, Wi Sung-lac, the
ROK’s chief negotiator for the
Six-Party Talks, and his North
Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho
met on the sidelines of the
ASEAN Regional Forum in Bali,
Indonesia and held the first inter-
Korean talks on denuclearization
since the last round of Six-Party
| The first Inter-Korean Talks on Denuclearization (Bali, July 22, 2011)
Talks in December 2008. The
two sides increased mutual understanding and discussed the importance of continued
dialogue and further improvement of inter-Korean relations.
On July 28, a few days after the inter-Korean talks, the U.S. and North Korea held
a two-day meeting in New York. After his meeting with North Korea’s Vice Foreign
Minister Kim Kye Gwan, Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North
Korea Policy, described the talks as“constructive and businesslike.”The back-to-back
bilateral meetings were a result of close cooperation between the ROK and the
U.S., with the hope to see signs of North Korea’s willingness for denuclearization.
On September 21, the second round of inter-Korean talks on denuclearization
was held in Beijing. The delegations exchanged views on a wide range of aspects of

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the denuclearization of North Korea for over three hours, and then joined again for
dinner. While the talks in July dealt with relevant issues in general, the second
dialogue focused more on the specifics. Both sides spent a considerable amount of
time discussing the pre-steps, and they enhanced mutual understanding over ways to
resume the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and the ROK’s Grand Bargain initiative1).
A series of bilateral talks continued as the U.S. and North Korea met for the

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

second time in Geneva during October 24-25.
The chain of bilateral talks between the two Koreas and with the U.S. played a
positive role in laying the necessary groundwork to resume the Six-Party Talks. The
ROK and the U.S., under close cooperation, consistently conveyed the message to the
North that if the Six-Party Talks were to resume, North Korea’s sincerity toward
denuclearization must be confirmed through the implementation of pre-steps, such as
suspending UEP activities at Yongbyon and allowing the IAEA inspectors to return to
the site.

5. The Death of Kim Jong-il and Future Tasks

At noon on December 19, 2011, North Korea announced the death of Kim Jong-
il, the supreme leader of North Korea.
As a result, bilateral talks on denuclearization were temporarily suspended. The
ROK Government strengthened its military preparedness in case of contingencies, and
watched closely what effect Kim’s death and the emergence of his successor could
have on the North Korean nuclear issue including the future of the Six-Party Talks.
The ROK’s consistent policy on the North Korean nuclear issue has brought some
positive results, as seen by the two inter-Korean dialogues and the absence of nuclear
tests and other provocative actions from North Korea in 2011. In 2012, the ROK
Government will continue to work to maintain a close cooperative relationship with

1) The Grand Bargain initiative aims at capturing in a single agreement all the steps related to North Korea’s
irreversible denuclearization and the Five Parties’corresponding measures (security assurances, normalization of
relations, and economic assistance) in order to reach the ultimate goal of North Korea’s complete and verifiable
denuclearization. The initiative was originally proposed by President Lee Myung-bak at his address to the US Council
on Foreign Relations in September 2010.

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the U.S., Japan, China, and Russia to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. In line
with the principle that North Korea must demonstrate its willingness to abandon its
nuclear weapons program by taking concrete measures, the ROK Government will
make efforts to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. When the Six-Party
Talks are resumed under the appropriate circumstances, the ROK Government will
endeavor to fundamentally and comprehensively resolve the North Korean nuclear
issue in accordance with the 2005 Joint Statement.

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Chapter 3

Enhancing and Developing the ROK-

U.S. Strategic Alliance

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

1. Deepening the ROK-U.S. Alliance

In 2011, the ROK and the U.S. further deepened the ROK-U.S. strategic alliance
by enhancing coordination and cooperation in various areas, such as maintaining and
strengthening the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture, jointly responding to the
North Korean issue, and dealing with global issues including Middle East issues. In
particular, on the occasion of President Lee Myung-bak's state visit to the U.S., the first
by a Korean president in thirteen years, the U.S. Congress passed the Korea-U.S. Free
Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) Implementation Act, extending the scope of the ROK-
U.S. alliance to include not only the military and security sectors but also the economic
sector.
In 2011, the ROK Government
actively made efforts to elevate
the ROK-U.S. relationship to a
more mature level, building on
the close trust-based relations
with the Obama administration
established through active
summit diplomacy including two
summit meetings in 2010. At the
ROK-U.S. Summit of October 13, | Korea-U.S. Summit (Washington, October 13, 2011)

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on the occasion of President Lee Myung-bak’s state visit to the U.S., the first by a
Korean President in thirteen years, the two presidents reaffirmed the importance of
the ROK-U.S. alliance for the security of both sides, and agreed to cooperate on and
jointly respond to international issues such as terrorism, WMD proliferation, climate
change, the economic crisis and poverty. In addition, the two presidents expressed
appreciation for the passage of the KORUS FTA by the U.S. Congress, and predicted
that the entry into force of the KORUS FTA would be an opportunity for the ROK-U.S.
alliance to take a leap forward.
Also, following the announcement on December 19 of the death of North Korea’
s
Kim Jong-il, the two presidents shared a telephone conversation and discussed various
details regarding the Kim Jong-il’s death, affirming their close cooperation in
responding to urgent issues.
In addition to summit-level exchanges, the ROK and the U.S. made very active
efforts with regard to high-level diplomacy including four ministerial meetings.
The ROK Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Trade and the U.S.
Secretary of State held a
Ministerial Meeting in Seoul on
April 16, 2011, and consulted on
ways to strengthen the ROK-U.S.
strategic alliance, the KORUS
FTA, the North Korean issue, and
regional and global issues such | Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Seoul, April 16, 2011)
as the earthquake in Japan, the
Middle East issue, and the East Asia Summit (EAS). Also, they laid the institutional
foundation for the establishment of a people-to-people network and close
communication between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the
Department of State by agreeing on the signing of the‘MOU between the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea and the Department of State of the
United States of America on the Establishment of a Staff Exchange Program’.
On June 24, 2011, another ROK-U.S. Ministerial Meeting was held in
Washington, where the North Korean issue, the Agent Orange issue and the U.S. base
relocation issue, and global issues such as the Middle East issue, nonproliferation, and

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development cooperation were

discussed.
On the occasion of this visit,
Minister Kim Sung-hwan actively
made efforts vis-a-vis U.S.
opinion leaders to broaden the

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

foundation of the ROK-U.S.
alliance by actively engaging in
meetings with leading officials of | Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Washington, June 24, 2011)

the Obama administration,

prominent members of Congress, and scholars.
The two ministers also continued their bilateral discussions on major issues by
holding ministerial meetings on the occasion of various international multilateral
conferences such as the ARF Ministerial Meeting (July 23), and the Busan High-Level
Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-4, November 30). Furthermore, the two ministers
shared a telephone call following the announcement of the death of Kim Jong-il on
December 19, contributing to the continued close cooperation for the maintenance of
peace and security on the Korean Peninsula following Kim Jong-il’s death.
In addition, the ROK and the U.S. Governments further strengthened the multi-
level consultation and cooperation system on major policy issues and various issues of
interest by actively hosting high-level visits. In particular, the two countries held the
ROK-U.S. Deputy-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue on April 26 in Washington in order to
consult on the follow-up measures to the ROK-U.S. Ministerial Meeting of April 16. At
the strategic dialogue, the two sides discussed not only bilateral issues but also
measures to strengthen their cooperation on the Northeast Asian region, the Asia-
Pacific, and global issues such as the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia issues. The
two sides also signed the‘MOU between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of
the Republic of Korea and the Department of State of the United States of America on
the Establishment of a Staff Exchange Program’previously agreed upon at the
Ministerial Meeting. Moreover, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
Affairs Kurt Campbell visited the ROK five times in 2011 and discussed major issues
between the ROK and the U.S., and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Wendy Sherman, Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence

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David Cohen and Special Representative & Policy Coordinator for Burma Derek
Mitchell also visited the ROK, and the two sides had frequent high-level policy
consultations.

ROK-U.S. Summit and Ministerial Meetings in 2011

ROK-U.S. Summit Meetings
Date Occasion
ROK-U.S. summit meeting on the occasion of President Lee Myung-bak’s state
October 13
visit to the U.S. (October 11-15)

ROK-U.S. Ministerial Meetings

Date Occasion
ROK-U.S. Ministerial Meeting on the occasion of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s
April 16
visit to the ROK (April 16-17, Seoul)
ROK-U.S. Ministerial Meeting on the occasion of Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan’s
June 24
visit to the U.S. (June 20-25, Washington D.C.)
July 23 ROK-U.S. Ministerial Meeting on the occasion of the ARF Ministerial Meeting (Bali)
ROK-U.S. Ministerial Meeting on the occasion of the 4th High-Level Forum on Aid
November 30
Effectiveness (Busan)

2. Consolidating the Foundation for the Strategic Alliance

In 2011, the ROK Government continued to make multi-faceted efforts to

strengthen exchanges and cooperations with the U.S. Congress, and focused on
promoting a better understanding of the ROK’s major policies among Congressional
members. In addition, the ROK stepped up contacts and exchanges with U.S. opinion
leaders such as scholars and former government officials to expand and consolidate
the foundation for ROK-U.S. ties.
With respect to inter-parliamentary exchanges, a number of National Assembly
members from the Foreign Affairs Committee including the Chairman travelled to local
districts in the U.S. to meet with their counterparts. The ROK Government pursued its
“ Congressional Member Exchange Program”which provided funding for
facilitating the visits of U.S. Congressional members to Korea. Co-chair of the

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Korea Caucus Loretta Sanchez,

Congressman Tom Reed and
Congresswoman Karen Bass paid
visits to Korea through this
program.
With the enhanced contact

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

between the two governments
and legislatures and with their
strong support, the KORUS FTA
| Co-chairwoman of the Korea Caucus Sanchez meets the Korean
Implementation Act was passed
Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan (Seoul, March 12, 2011)
by the U.S. Congress and
President Lee Myung-bak gave a well-received speech at a joint session of the U.S.
Congress in October. In December, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted the
resolution for the repatriation of POW/MIAs and Abductees in North Korea.
As seen from the successive visits to Korea made by former and incumbent high-
level officials and academic leaders of the U.S., exchanges and communication with
U.S. opinion leaders were very active. Among them were two former Secretaries of
Defence, Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates, Governor of Virginia Robert McDonnell,
Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, President of the Korea Economic Institute
(KEI) Jack Pritchard, President of the Center for Strategic and International Studies
(CSIS) John Hamre, CSIS Korea Chair Victor Cha, President of the Council on Foreign
Relations (CFR) Richard Haass and Korea Society Chairman Thomas Hubbard.
The ROK Government has consistently promoted people-to-people exchanges,
especially engaging with
Americans who have close ties
with Korea. In July and October
2011, former U.S. Peace Corps
Volunteers and their family
members were invited to visit
t h e i r p a s t service locations in
Korea and experience Korea’
s
development.
| Welcoming Reception for the Returning Peace Corps
This meaningful opportunity Volunteers to Korea (Seoul, October 17, 2011)

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to remember and appreciate

their dedicated service to Korea
served to promote the friendship
between the people of the ROK
and U.S. and the continued
development of the two
countries.
Moreover, the ROK Government
strengthened the foundation for | Lecture on Foreign Affairs (DaeJeon, May 4, 2011)

the further development of the

ROK-U.S. alliance by carrying out active public diplomacy activities, for college students
from both countries and members of the U.S. Congress.

3. Alliance Management and the Defense Posture

Enhancement

In the past few years, the ROK and the U.S. Governments have expanded and
intensified the alliance readjustment and strengthening project, in order to more
actively respond to new global security demands and the constantly changing security
environment on the Korean Peninsula following the sinking of the Republic of Korea
ship the Cheonan and the artillery shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. In 2011, the two
governments made their utmost efforts to deepen and advance the ROK-U.S. alliance
into a“Strategic Alliance for the 21st century”in many active and diverse ways.
At the ROK-U.S. Foreign and Defense (2+2) Deputy Ministers’Meeting, which
was held on April 26, 2011 in Washington DC about one year after the Cheonan
incident, the two countries reviewed the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture and
coordinated the direction of the alliance’s response to the changes in the regional
security environment. The two sides also intensively discussed major issues with
strategic and policy implications for both foreign and defense authorities, including
regional security cooperation issues such as North Korean policy and a joint response
to the earthquake in Japan, and global security cooperation issues such as maritime
security and Iran and Afghanistan.

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In 2011, the ROK and the U.S. held two sessions of the“Security Policy Initiative
(SPI)”meetings back-to-back with the“Extended Deterrence Policy Committee
(EDPC)”and“Strategic Alliance 2015 Working Group (SAWG)”. In these meetings, the
ROK and the U.S. evaluated the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and
discussed ways to maintain and promote an effective combined defense posture. In
addition, both sides also strengthened the alliance’s deterrence capability by

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

reaffirming the U.S. commitment to extended deterrence and improving relevant
consultation processes, and closely examined the implementation process of the
wartime operational control (OPCON) transition so that the alliance would remain
well-adjusted in terms of both substance and form.

ROK-U.S. SPI / EDPC / SA 2015 in 2011

Date Delegation Venue
•Jang, Gwang-il (Deputy Minister for Policy, MND)
March 28-29 Kim, Hyoung-zhin (Director-General of North American Affairs Bureau, MOFAT) Hawaii, U.S.
•Michael Schiffer (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, DOD)
•Lim, Gwan-bin (Deputy Minister for Policy, MND)
September 22-23 Kim, Hyoung-zhin (Director-General of North American Affairs Bureau, MOFAT) Seoul, ROK
•Michael Schiffer (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, DOD)

The 43rd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) was held on October 28, 2011 in
Seoul. In the meeting, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining
and reenforcing the combined defense posture on the Korean Peninsula despite the
prospect of defense budget reductions in the U.S. The ROK and the U.S. decided to
develop a tailored bilateral extended deterrence strategy in response to growing North
Korean asymmetric threats, such as the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic
missiles, and agreed to maintain a strong and effective alliance deterrence posture
including the U.S., nuclear umbrella. Moreover, the allies agreed to establish the
‘Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD)’, as an umbrella framework
encompassing various defense dialogue mechanisms between the ROK and the U.S.
In order to put the EDPC mechanism into practice, the ROK and the U.S. held the

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first EDPC Table Top Exercise (TTX), from November 8 to 11, 2011, in which the two
countries intensified the sharing of information on extended deterrence strategy and
enhanced mutual understanding on courses of action in the case of a nuclear crisis,
resulting in the further strengthening of the alliance’s deterrence capabilities against
North Korean nuclear and WMD threats.
In addition, the allies agreed to complete the USFK (United States Forces Korea) ,
base relocations and camp returns by 2016, and repeatedly reviewed the
implementation of the project within the SA 2015 framework. During this process, the
ROK and the U.S. closely cooperated together to minimize uncertainties in
implementing the project which entered the construction phase in 2011 in order to
successfully complete the base relocations and camp returns. Smooth implementation
of the project will secure greater efficiency in the use of land and provide a more
stable stationing environment for the USFK, thereby contributing to the strengthening
of the combined ROK-U.S. defense posture.

4. Improving the Management of the ROK-U.S. SOFA

The ROK Government has been making its utmost efforts to ensure that the
implementation of the ROK-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) results in a stable
stationing environment for the USFK and enhanced ROK-U.S. combined defense
capabilities. The ROK Government is also working to resolve pending issues to avoid
any inconvenience to ROK citizens which may result from hosting the USFK. To this
end, the ROK Government has made continued efforts to improve the implementation
of the SOFA through various consultation channels. In particular, major achievements
of 2011 include the settlement of the alleged burial of Agent Orange at Camp Carroll
and launching the review of SOFA Article XXII on Criminal Jurisdiction.
First of all, in May 2011, as soon as several reports were made by the national
and international media regarding the allegation by Steve House that Agent Orange is
buried at Camp Carroll, the ROK Government established the ROK-U.S. joint
investigation team as well as the Governmental Task Force, led by the Prime Minister’s
Office, due to its serious and immediate implications for national health. After six
months of various scientific investigations, the ROK-U.S. joint investigation team

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released a final report that it had found no definitive evidence confirming the burial of
Agent Orange at Camp Carroll. Furthermore, the U.S. provided the ROK with full
cooperation not only agreeing to include ROK civil experts in the joint investigation
team but also providing National Assembly members and civil groups with access to
Camp Carroll, which will be a good precedent for dealing with future environmental
issues related to the USFK bases.

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

Meanwhile, following the rape of a teenage girl by a USFK soldier last September
in Dongducheon, the ROK government initiated the review of SOFA Article XXII on
Criminal Jurisdiction which is currently under consultation with the U.S. After the
incident, the ROK Government immediately organized a‘USFK Crime Prevention Task
Force’consisting of MOFAT, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of National
Defense (MND), and the Korean National Police (KNP) in order to consider measures to
reinforce the ROK initial investigation over SOFA personnel. Furthermore, at the same
time, the ROK Government strived to devise fundamental crime prevention measures
such as the Sexual Assault Prevention Program and the extension of the curfew
implemented by the USFK. At the Joint Committee in November, the ROK and the U.S.
decided to assign the Criminal Jurisdiction Subcommittee with the task of review of
SOFA Article XXII including but not limited to custody procedures and the Subcommittee
consultations have been taking place.
The ROK Government will
continue to strengthen close
cooperations with the relevant
authorities to ensure the faithful
implementation of the SOFA and
the smooth resolution of
pending issues. The ROK
Government will also continue | The 188th Joint Committee (Seoul, June 14, 2011)
its efforts to further improve the
implementation of the SOFA
through constructive consultations via SOFA channels, such as the Joint Committee,
the Special Joint Committee and subcommittees, based on mutual trust between the
two governments.

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Chapter 4

Strengthening Cooperation with

Neighboring Countries

1. Korea-Japan Relations

In 2011 Korea and Japan have continuously cooperated to a develop future-

oriented mature partnership between the two countries. The two sides have
strengthened their cooperation in the area of economy and trade, culture and people-
to-people exchanges, promoting substantial improvement in historical issues, including
the return of the Royal Protocols of Joseon Dynasty, which had been taken to Japan
during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea, according to the Archives Agreement.
In 2011, the two countries held bilateral summit talks on the occasion of the
ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit(May, Tokyo) and the UN General
Assembly(September, New York). President Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime
Minister Yoshihiko Noda exchanged in-depth views on matters of common interest
including the bilateral relations, the North Korean issue and regional and international
cooperation, and agreed to continue to further develop their cooperative relations.
Also, they held summit talks in October during Prime Minister Noda’s first visit to
Seoul, and in December when President Lee visited Kyoto. At these summit talks, the
two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to foster future-oriented relations and
political trust. Also, Korea and Japan agreed to further develop their cooperative
relations with substantial cooperations and closely consult on their North Korea
policies with each other and also with the U.S..

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Meanwhile, Japan faced a national disaster when its north-east area was struck
by a massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. The Korean Government
contributed to the friendly bilateral relations through its prompt and active support to
Japan and close consultation with the Japanese Government in providing disaster
relief. In addition to providing humanitarian aid to Japan with the support of the
Korean public, the Government also has promoted further substantial cooperation

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

such as adoptingthe the「Partnership for Supporting Recovery and Tourism of the
Northeastern Region of Japan」 and pledged to cooperate on the issue of nuclear
security and disaster management.
The return of the Royal Protocols of Joseon Dynasty was a national issue.
Following former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s statement issued on August
2010, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and his counterpart Seiji Maehara signed the
long-waited Archives Agreement(Agreement between the Government of Republic of
Korea and the Government of Japan on Archives) in Novemver of the same year. This
agreement came into effect after the Japanese government completed the domestic
procedures through a Cabinet decision. On the occasion of Japanese Prime Minister
Yoshihiko Noda’s visit to Korea in October 2011, five of the Royal Protocols of were
returned and the rest were returned in December of the same year.
The trade volume between Korea and Japan amounted to $108 billion in 2011,
the largest in history, and Japan remains Korea’s second largest trading partner. In
people-to-people exchanges, the number of Japanese nationals who visited Korea in
2011 was 3.29 million, increasing by 270,000 from the previous year. However, the
number of Korean nationals who visited Japan during that same period decreased by
780,000, from 2.44 million to 1.66 million since the earthquake and tsunami hit the
north-east of Japan. With the increasing number of cultural exchanges, the‘Korea-
Japan Festival,’successfully held in Seoul(September 25) and Tokyo(October 1-2), has
developed into the biggest cultural festival for Korea and Japan.
Korea and Japan agreed to launch the third phase of the‘Korea-Japan Joint
History Research’at the Kyoto Summit talks to further their efforts to come to a
common understanding of history. As a follow-up on the Seoul Summit talks, the
second phase of the‘Joint Research Project on a New Era of ROK-Japan Relations’
was officially launched in order to seek ways of building future-oriented relations
between the two countries.

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Meanwhile, The Constitutional Court decided on August 31 that it is

unconstitutional for the government to make no tangible effort to settle disputes with
Japan according to Article 3 of its 1965 treaty(「Agreement of the Settlement of
Problem Concerning Property and Claims and on Economic Cooperation Between
Republic of Korea and Japan」) with Japan over its refusal to compensate Korean
sexual slavery victims drafted for the Japanese Imperial army during its 1910-1945
colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Following the court’s decision, the Korean
Government has twice formally requested the Japanese government on September
15th and November 15th by a diplomatic letter to start bilateral negotiations. On
September 14th, the Government established a“Task Force on the 1965 Treaty”and
launched an“Adversory Panel for the Task Force”for further legal review on the issue
and establish a phased strategy for settling this issue. In addition, the Korean
Government has urged Japan to make sincere efforts to resolve this issue through
various diplomatic channels. Notably, President Lee, on the occasion of the Kyoto
summit meeting, emphasized the need to settle the matter of the sexual slavery
victims and called on the Japanese government to make a political decision.
The Korean Government has dealt firmly and resolutely with any provocations by
Japan concerning Korean sovereignty over Dokdo, which has been an integral part of
Korean territory historically, geographically and under international law. When the
Japanese government approved new middle school textbooks in March that describe
Dokdo as Japanese territory, the Korean Government demanded Japan to withdraw its
claim over Dokdo : the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
released a statement of protest, and Minister Kim Sung-hwan summoned Japanese
Ambassador Masatoshi Muto and made a strong protest against the Japanese claim
and expressed serious concerns. Following the incident in March, the Japanese
government released their“Diplomatic Bluebook”in April and“Defense of Japan”
(Annual White Paper) in August which claimed Dokdo as Japanese territory. In regard
to these events, the Korean Government lodged a serious protest against Japan and
requested immediate withdrawal of its claim. In addition, the Korean Government
dealt firmly and resolutely with new provocations from Japan in the form of the
Japanese Foreign Ministry’s policy that ordered its officials to refrain from using
Korean Airlines flights in protest of the airline’s special flight near the Dokdo islet in
July and of the attempted visit by Japanese lawmakers to Ulleugndo(Ulleung Island), a

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southern island near Dokdo in August. Furthermore, the Korean Government has
made efforts to strengthen the territorial sovereignty over Dokdo such as seeking to
discover antique maps and historical materials supporting its territorial sovereignty and
to publically announce to the world that Dokdo belongs to Korea. Particularly, the
Korean Government has held meetings coordinated by the Prime Minister’s office to
write and implement Dokdo policy and strategy through close consultations with

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

relevant authorities so as to defend our sovereignty over Dokdo.

Bilateral Summits
Date Occasion
May 22 The 4th ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit (Tokyo)
September 21 The UN General Assembly Meeting(New York)
October 19 Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s Visit to Korea(Seoul)
December 12 President Lee Myong-bak’s Visit to Japan(Kyoto)

Bilateral Foreign Ministers’Meetings

Date Occasion
January 15 Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara’s Visit to Korea(Seoul)
February 16 Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sunghwan’s Visit to Japan(Tokyo)
March 19 The 5th Trilateral ROK-Japan-China Foreign Ministers’Meeting(Kyoto)
May 20 The 4th ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit (Tokyo)
July 23 ARF Foreign Ministers’Meeting(Bali)
September 24 United Nations General Assembly Meeting(New York)
October 6 Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba’s Visit to Korea(Seoul)

Other Major High-Level Exchanges

Date Occasion
January 6-7 Minister for National Policy Koichiro Gemba’s Visit to Korea
January 10-11 Minister of Defense Toshimi Kitazawa’s Visit to Korea
January 10-12 President of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarian’s Union Lee Sang-deuk’s Visit to Japan
April 25-26 Former Prime Minister Taro Aso’s Visit to Korea
April 28 President of the Northeast Asian History Foundation Chung Jae-jung’s Visit to Japan
May 24-26 President of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarian’s Union Lee Sang-deuk’s Visit to Japan
June 15-17 Mayor of city of Yokohama Fumiko Hayashi’s Visit to Korea
June 20-21 Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Shinichi Nishimiya’s Visit to Korea

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Date Occasion
June 27-29 Democratic Party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu’s Visit to Japan
June 30 The 11th ROK-Japan Vice Foreign Ministers’Strategic Dialogue
July 16 Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choung Byoung-gug’s Visit to Japan
Chiarman of the National Public Safety Commission and Minister of State for the
July 15-18
Abduction Issue Kansei Nakano’s Visit to Korea
August 9-10 Governor of Aichi Prefecture Hideaki Omura’s Visit to Kotrs
August 29-31 Governor of Miyagi Prefecture Yoshihiko Muari’s Visit to Korea
September 30
President of Korea-Japan Parliamentarian’s Union Lee Sang-deuk’s Visit to Japan
- October 1
Visit to Korea by The League of Building a Strategic Partnership between Japan and
October 9-11
the Republic of Korea, Democratic Party of Japan
October 10-12 Speaker of the House of Representative Takahiro Yokomichi’s Visit to Korea
October 10-12 Visit to Korea by the Delegation of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarian’s Union
Special Representative for Korea Peninsula Peace and Security Affiars Lim Sung-nam’s
October 13-15
Visit to Japan
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s Visit to Korea for participating in
October 18-19
Korea-Japan-China Trilateral academic conference
November 1-2 Former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama’s Visit to Korea
November 18-19 Visit to Japan by the Delegation of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarian’s Union
November 25-27 Minister for National Policy Motohisa Furukawa’s Visit to Korea
November 28 The 35th Joint Meeting Korea-Japan Parliamentarian’s Union
December 18-20 Visit to Korea by the Delegation of the Liberal Democratic Party
December 25-27 Visit to Korea by the Delegation of the New Komeito Party

2. Korea-China Relations

Based on the‘Strategic Cooperative Partnership’established at the Korea-China

summit in May 2008, Korea and China continuously exerted efforts to deepen their
relations, sharing the strategic goal of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. Upon the 20th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic
relations in 2012, the two sides achieved tangible results in substantial areas of
cooperation in 2011.
Korea and China enhanced political trust by bolstering bilateral high-level

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exchanges and sought to further strengthen the‘Strategic Cooperative Partnership’

through the increase in dialogue and people-to-people exchange at the governmental,
congressional and military levels. In particular, the two sides strengthened bilateral
trust on several occasions including Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik’s visit to China in
April, the Korea-Japan-China summit in May, talk between President Lee Myung-bak
and Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the ASEAN+3 summit in November and

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

Vice Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Korea in October. In 2011, there were six foreign
ministerial talks including Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's visit to Korea in February and
Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan’s visit to China in March. In addition, the two
countries continued their high-level congressional exchanges such as visits by Zhang
Shusheng, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s
Congress, to Korea and Chung Ui Hwa, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, to
China. The two countries also actively promoted bilateral exchanges in the field of
national security such as Defense Minister’s visit to China and the vice ministerial
strategic dialogue in July.
In the aftermath of the death of Kim Jong-il, Chairman of the National Defense
Commission in North Korea, in December, Korea and China shared the view that the
maintenance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula was of utmost importance
by continuing close communication between the two countries including a telephone
talk at the foreign ministerial level, consultation among the representatives of the Six-
Party Talk and the 4th Korea-China High-Level Strategic Dialogue.
On the academic front, the Korea-China Expert Joint Research Committee,
established upon the bilateral agreement at the 2008 summit, released a report
entitled‘Korea-China Strategic Cooperative Partnership for the Future Joint
Development ’in April 2010. Also, the 2nd committee was established in 2011 and is
expected to submit its report with policy recommendations to consolidate the Korea-
China Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
The year 2011 also witnessed a constant increase in bilateral trade economic
cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. In 2011, the
total volume of bilateral trade between the two countries reached $220.6 billion, a
$33.2 billion increase from the previous year, and China remained Korea's largest
trading partner, both in terms of investment and trade surplus, while Korea remained
China's third largest trading partner. Furthermore, people-to-people exchanges

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reached 6.41 million in 2011, a tremendous increase from 130,000 in 1992 when the
two countries first established diplomatic relations. In addition, over 837 commercial
flights have been linking the two countries together each week.
On the cultural front, approximately 1,200 Korean and Chinese students, shaping
future Korea-China relations, exchanged visits to enhance the mutual understanding
on the Korean and Chinese cultures. Particularly, both Korea and China host the
largest number of students from each country, which reflects a high level of interest
among the youths of the two countries.
As part of Korea’s efforts to strengthen the cooperative diplomacy for the stable
maintenance as well as development of Korea-China relations, which is one of the 100
top policy priorities of the Korean Government, heads of 10 Korean diplomatic
missions in China had approximately 70 interviews with the Chinese local media to
promote Korea’s China policy. In addition, Korean diplomatic missions in China
hosted a variety of cultural events for public diplomacy, including the Korea-China
friendship week, K-pop competition and promotional event for Korean food.
Domestically, the Korean Government launched a language exchange project
aimed at creating opportunities for the youths of the two countries to meet together
and forge friendship. As part of this project, teams of Korean college students
majoring in the Chinese language and Chinese students studying in Korea provided
free Chinese classes (2 places in Seoul and 1 place in Chungju) for elementary &
middle schoolers from underprivileged brackets.

Korea-China President-Premier Meetings

Date Occasion
The 4th ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit
May 22
(Korean President-Chinese Premier Meeting, Tokyo)
ASEAN+3 Summit
November 18
(Korean President-Chinese Premier Meeting, Bali)

Korea-China Prime Ministerial Meetings

Date Occasion
April 13 Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik’s Official Visit to China (Beijing)
October 26 Vice Premier Li Keqiang’s Official Visit to Korea (Seoul)

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Korea-China Foreign Ministers/Vice Foreign Ministers’Meetings

Date Occasion
February 23 Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi’s Visit to Korea (Seoul)
March 19 Fifth Korea-Japan-China Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Kyoto)
March 29 Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan’s Visit to China (Bejing)
June 6 ASEM Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Budapest)
July 21 ASEAN+3/ARF (Bali)

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

September 20 UN General Assembly (New York)
December 27 The 4th Korea-China High-Level Strategic Dialogue (Seoul)

Other Major High-Level Exchanges

Date Occasion
G20 Parliament Speakers’Meeting (Chinese Delegation’s Visit to Korea)
May 17-22 Head of Delegation: Zhang Shusheng, China National People’s Congress Standing
Committee Vice Chairman
June 4 The 10th Shangri-la Dialogue (Korea-China Defense Ministers’Meeting)
July 4-7 Democratic Party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu’s Visit to China (Beijing, Chongqing)
China People’s National Congress China-South Korea Friendship Group’s Visit to
Korea
July 7-10
Head of Delegation: Cao Weizhou, Chairman of China People's Congress China-South
Korea Friendship Group
The Korean National Assembly’s Bipartisan Delegation’s Visit to China
July 13-16
Head of Delegation: Hong Jae-hyong, National Assembly Vice Chairman
July 14-16 Defense Minister’s Visit to China (Korea-China Defense Ministers’Meeting, July 15)
July 17-22 Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Chung Ui-hwa’s Visit to China
July 27 The 1st Korea-China Defense Strategic Dialogue (Seoul)
August 24-26 Minister of Government Legislation Jeong Sun-tae’s Visit to China
August 29-30 The 11th Korea-China Elite Forum (Beijing)
Former State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan’s Visit to Korea for the Korea-Japan-China
October 17-19
International Academic Seminar
October 26-28 Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Kwang-shik’s Visit to China
November 21-23 Minister of Unification Yu Woo-ik's Visit to China
November 23-25 Minister of Education, Science and Technology Lee Ju-ho’s Visit to China
December 1 Korea-China Spokesperson Exchange Consultative Meeting (Beijing)

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3. Korea-Japan-China Relations

2011 marked the beginning of a new round of the Trilateral Summit Meeting
among Korea, Japan and China, which has been annually held since 2008,
independent of the ASEAN+3 process. The Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat was also
successfully established in Seoul, facilitating institutionalization of the Trilateral
Cooperation.
The Trilateral Cooperation has rapidly developed since the leaders held the first
breakfast meeting on the occasion of the ASEAN+3 Summit in 1999. Since 2008, the
three countries, holding annual Trilateral Summit Meetings independent of the
ASEAN+3 process, have continuously expanded close cooperation in various areas
such as politics, economy, society, culture and people-to-people exchanges. In 2011,
the 4th Trilateral Summit Meeting was held in Tokyo on May 21-22, and the 11th
Trilateral Summit Meeting on the occasion of the ASEAN+3/EAS was also held in Bali,
Indonesia, on November 19. The three countries currently operate more than 50 inter-
governmental consultative mechanisms, including 18 ministerial meetings, and have
implemented over 100 cooperative projects.
In particular, the three countries strengthened cooperation on disaster
management and nuclear safety in 2011, based on the lessons learned from the Great
East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.
「Cooperation on Disaster Management」and「Cooperation on Nuclear Safety」were
adopted at the 4th Trilateral Summit Meeting held in Tokyo in May. The 2nd Trilateral
Heads of Government Agency Meeting on Disaster Management was held in Beijing in
October, and the 4th Northeast Asian Top Regulators’Meeting(TRM) on Nuclear
Safety was held in Tokyo in November.
Moreover, the Trilateral Cooperation has continuously developed in the fields of
economy and education. According to the agreement at the 4th Trilateral Summit
Meeting, the three governments concluded the Joint Study on a trilateral Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) in December 2011, which was earlier than planned. They also agreed
to organize a‘Future Forum’, which would enable youths from the three countries to
promote friendly and cooperative ties and discuss the future of the Trilateral
Cooperation.
After the「Agreement on the Establishment of the Trilateral Cooperation

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Secretariat」took effect on May 17,

2011, the Trilateral Cooperation
Secretariat (TCS) was established
in Seoul on September 1, 2011.
This achievement had been
accomplished following two

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

years of preparations after
| The Launching Ceremony of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat
President Lee Myung-bak had (Seoul, September 27, 2011)
emphasized the need to
establish a permanent Secretariat to efficiently and systematically organize and
develop the Trilateral Cooperation at the 2nd Trilateral Summit Meeting. The
establishment of the TCS is expected to further develop the Trilateral Cooperation in a
more systematic and institutionalized manner.

Korea-Japan-China Trilateral Summit Meeting

Date Occasion
The 4th Trilateral Summit Meeting (Tokyo) among President Lee Myung-bak,
May 21-22
Japanese Prime Minister Kan Naoto and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
Meeting among President Lee Myung-bak, Japanese Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko
November 19
and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the occasion of the ASEAN+3 Summit (Bali)

Korea-Japan-China Trilateral Foreign Ministers’Meeting

Date Occasion
The 5th Trilateral Foreign Ministers’Meeting (Kyoto) among Foreign Minister Kim
March 19 Sung-Hwan, Japanese Foreign Minister Matsumoto Takeaki and Chinese Foreign
Minister Yang Jiechi

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4. Korea-Russia Relations

In 2011, Korea and Russia’s high-level exchanges have revitalized and their
'Strategic Cooperative Partnership' has strengthened. Since President Lee Myung-bak
took office in 2008, the two countries have consolidated their friendship and mutual
trust through summit-level meetings on a regular basis - four mutual visits and six
summit talks between 2008 and 2011.
During his visit to St. Petersburg in November, President Lee held a bilateral
meeting with Russian President D. Medvedev and discussed comprehensive issues,
including such as ways to ensure Russia’
s constructive role in establishing peace on the
Korean peninsula and the enhancement of substantive cooperation, especially the
triangular economic cooperation projects among South Korea, North Korea, and Russia.
The two presidents also exchanged views on expanding cooperation in the international
arena and working together for the success of the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit
and the 2012 APEC Summit in Vladivostok. In addition, both leaders participated in the
2nd Korea-Russia Dialogue held in St. Petersburg on the occasion of President Lee’
s
state visit, upgrading the Dialogue into a new effective consultative mechanism that will
further deepen the Korea-Russia strategic cooperative partnership.
In August, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan undertook an official visit to Russia
and held a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister S. Lavrov. The two ministers
shared the view that the Korea-Russia relationship was elevated to the next level
through active summit diplomacy, and had an in-depth discussion on issues of mutual
interest such as the creation of favorable conditions for the resumption of the Six-Party
Talks and ways to cooperate for the success of the Nuclear Security Summit and the
APEC Summit. They noted with satisfaction the continuous increase of trade between
the two countries, and agreed to strengthen the bilateral cooperation with the Far East
and Siberian region, and also in the high-tech fields such as energy efficiency, IT, and
medicine. In the meantime, various other inter-governmental consultative channels
were actively operated, which include Korea-Russia Strategic Dialogue, Policy Council,
Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, Meeting of
Director-Generals for Consular Affairs, and Committee for Fisheries, and served as an
effective platform for discussions on measures to expand substantive cooperation
between the two countries.

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Korea-Russia High-Level Exchanges in 2011

Bilateral Summit
Date Occasion
Novbember 2 Official Working Visit of President Lee Myung-Bak to Russia(St. Petersburg)

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

Bilateral Foreign Ministers’Meeting
Date Occasion
August 8 Official Visit of the Korean Foreign Minister to Russia

Other High-Level Exchanges

Date Occasion
January 28-29 Visit of the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister to Korea
The Chairman of the Council of the Federation Committee on Defense and
February 7-11
Security's Visit to Korea
February 24-26 The Mayor of the City of Moscow’s Visit to Korea
March 27-30 The Governor of the Novosibirsk Region's Visit to Korea
April 18-20 The Minister of Industry and Trade’s Visit to Korea
April 24-26 The President of the Sakha Republic’s Visit to Korea
May 29-June 4 Visit of Former President Kim Young-sam to Russia
June 13-15 The Minister of Knowledge and Economy’s Visit to Russia
June 13-26 The Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation’s Visit to Korea
October 24-26 The Minister of Regional Development’s Visit to Korea
November 22-24 The Russian First Deputy Minister’s Visit to Korea

The bilateral cooperation in the economic field was also active in 2011. The trade
volume between the two countries, which had decreased in the aftermath of the
global financial crisis, was fully recovered, recording USD 21.15 billion - an increase of
around 20% from the previous year(USD 17.65) - surpassing USD 20 billion for the
first time ever. As the trade volume between Korea and the Far East region recorded
USD 9.36 billion - a 50.2% increase compared to last year’s number - Korea has
become the largest trade partner of for the Russian Far East.

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Status of Korea-Russia Trade (unit: USD 100 million)

’
04 ’
05 ’
06 ’
07 ’
08 ’
09 ’
10 ’
11
EXPORT 23.4 38.6 51.8 80.9 97.5 41.9 77.6 103.0
IMPORT 36.7 39.4 45.7 69.8 83.4 57.9 98.9 108.5

TRADE 60.1 78.1 97.5 150.7 180.9 99.8 176.5 211.5

TOTAL

BALANCE △3.3 △0.8 6.1 11.1 14.1 △6 △1.3 △0.5

The strategic partnership with the Far East and Siberian region was further
enhanced. This region is the key region in realizing the 'Three Major New Silk Roads’
proclaimed by President Lee Myung-Bak during his visit to Russia in 2008. At the‘7th
Meeting of the Korea-Russia Far East and Siberia Subcommittee’and the‘Korea-
Russia Business Forum,’a one-on-one consultation was held for about 130 central
and local governments officials and businessmen from the two countries, which
strengthened the Russian Far East and Siberian development cooperation network. In
line with the continuous efforts to expand market access of Korean agricultural
companies into the Russian Far East and Siberian region, Hyundai Heavy Industries
began to cultivate farmland in the Maritime Province of Siberia (Mikhailovka Farm),
and the Korean Consulate in the Vladivostok held four business talks for Korean
agricultural companies. In 2011, Korea succeeded in securing an additional 10,000
tons of fishing quota (total 74,261 tons) in the Russian waters - a record high since the
beginning of negotiations on quotas.
Since Russia is one of Korea's largest suppliers of energy such as oil (8th), natural
gas (7th), and soft coal (5th), Korea also worked to enhance its cooperation in this
sector. Along with the annual import of 1.5 million tons of LNG from Sakhalin since
2009, both sides completed the joint research for additional import of natural gas
from Russia to Korea. Because North Korea decided in the Russia-North Korea summit
talks in August 2011 to favorably accept linking natural gas pipelines between Russia
and South Korea via North Korea, Korea and Russia discussed this project in more
detail.
As for modernizing Russia’s economy, which is one of the priority projects of the
Russian governments, Korea became the first country in Asia to sign an MOU on
“Partnership for Economic Modernization”with Russia, providing a ground for the

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participation of Korean companies in the core fields of Russia’s economic

modernization such as energy, nuclear power, space technology, medicine and IT.
Korean research institutes and companies are seeking an entry into Skolkovo
Innovation Complex, another one of the Russia’s main projects, in line with
continuous efforts to support the entry of Korean companies into the Russian market
and the exchange of technologies with Russia through seminars on Russia's energy

Securing Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula

efficiency and modernizing medical technology.
As for cultural and academic cooperation, Korea increased exchange and
cooperation with the Russian local and federal governments by promoted Korean
culture during“Hub City Events”in the Nizhny Novogorod and the Kamtschatka
regions. In 2010, Russia’s Prime Minister Putin presented two Siberian tiger cubs to
Korea as a symbol of friendship and cooperation in commemoration of the 20th
anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Korea and Russia. The
cubs arrived in Korea in May 2011, and a welcoming ceremony was held in Seoul
Grand Park Zoo on 23 June 2011.

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