Text fwd; Korea to Gradually Increase Exchange with NATO: Defense Ministry

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Korea to Gradually Increase Exchange with NATO: Defense Ministry
Date 2009-03-11 11:06

Seoul to secure dialogue channel, plans to dispatch contact officer

The Ministry of National Defense on February 24 announced it has agreed to gradually increase exchange and cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). A ministry official said the country will establish dialogue channels with the NATO to discuss details, also noting the ministry plans to dispatch an working-level official to the 2nd Korea-NATO policy consultative talks to be held later in the year.

The Republic of Korea and the NATO are said to be working to hold the Korea-NATO policy consultative meeting every year since it was first arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade last year. The Defense Ministry also announced its willingness to improve ties with the NATO in its Defense White Paper 2008, published the previous day. This was the first time the Defense Ministry stated its willingness to cooperate with the NATO in its defense white paper.

“The government has decided to establish dialogue channels with the NATO and gradually increase its cooperation and exchange with the NATO,” the defense white paper says, also noting the country plans to “selectively take part in various training programs offered by the NATO.” The Defense Ministry last month dispatched Army Col. YIm Jong Deuk to the NATO Defense College for a six-month program.


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Korea Publishes Defense White Paper 2008
Date 2009-03-11 11:02

North Korea has been confirmed to have recently deployed new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with a range of 3,000 kilometers, as well as advanced “Chonmaho” combat vehicles.

The Ministry of National Defense on February 23 published 2008 Defense White Paper that introduces such latest changes in North Korea’s military and the new defense policies and achievements of the Lee Myung Bak administration.

“The Ministry published the defense white paper to satisfy the people’s right to know and help raise their overall understanding and support on our defense policy,” Shin Won Shik, deputy director of policy and planning at the Defense Ministry, said. “The defense white paper explains the direction of new security measures and defense policies of the Lee Myung Bak administration and its achievements, in addition to an analysis of current security conditions surrounding the Korean Peninsula.”

“Especially, the defense white paper focuses on letting the people understand how our military has developed over the past 60 years since its establishment and its firm defense posture,” Shin said. “We hope this will provide an opportunity for the people to better understand and support the military and increase their trust in the military that is working to become an advanced force.”

Consisted of 34 sections under 10 chapters that lay out all available aspects of the military, the defense white paper has been improved greatly in its style and composition to make it easier for the people to read and understand. By increasing the number of visual aids, such as charts, graphs and photographs, as well as footnotes, the white paper allows readers to understand all contents as they read.

Also by significantly increasing expository notes on military terminology, the white paper allows people to better understand military and defense affairs. Its also contains detailed introduction on North Korean threats and our military’s measures to counter such threats, as well as other defense issues such as efforts to reshape the military, the military’s participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations and efforts to create new economic growth engines.

On issues such as North Korea, inter-Korean relations and Dokdo islets that draw most attention and interests from the people, the defense white paper states the military’s firm determination to defend and protect our territories. On the North Korean issue, the defense white paper states North Korea as an “immediate and grave threat” to help people understand the increased threat from North Korea while it explains the changes in the threat based on established facts such as the deployment of new intermediate-range ballistic missile.

According to the defense white paper, North Korea strategically deployed the new IRBM, which it began developing in late 1990s, in 2007. The white paper also says North Korea is believed to be continuing to develop its long-range ballistic missile Taepodong-2 while working to correct defects in the missile since its failed test on July 5, 2006. Taepodong-2 is believed to have a range of over 6,700 kilograms while the Defense Ministry believes North Korea could increase the missile’s maximum range if it succeeds in reducing the missile’s weight or adding a third propulsion rocket.

On the South-North relations, the Defense Ministry stated the military’s efforts to support the government policy on the coexistence and co-prosperity of the two Koreas in the defense white paper, as well as the military’s efforts to ease military tension and build trust between the two sides. The ministry also made it clear that Dokdo islets are our sovereign territory by stating its firm determination and military posture to defend the islets throughout various chapters of the white paper, along with related pictures and maps.