Text Fwd: [Translation] [SPARK Statement] denunciation against Minister Kim's remark on his examination on the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapon

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* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Nov. 23, 2010.

The banner reads:
Press interview to denounce the remarks by against Kim Tae-Young, Minister of National Defense
"Examination on the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapon"
Resign, Kim Tae-Young, Minister of National Defense,
who counters against non-nuclearization of Korean peninsula!

Immediately start the six party talk for the non-nuclearization
of the Korean peninsula without condition!

* 아래는 평화와 통일을 여는 사람들의 11월 23일 성명서, "전술핵 재배치 검토" 망언 김태영 국방장관 규탄 기자회견: 한반도 비핵화 거스르는 김태영 국방장관은 사퇴하라! 입니다. 국문 원문을 보시려면 여기를 클릭.
* 해커 보고서 전문을 비롯, 관련 기사를 보시려면 여기 클릭

* The below text is an arbitrary translation from the press interview statement by the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea on Nov. 23, 2010. You can see its original Korean statement here.
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Press Interview to denounce Kim Tae-Young,
Ministry of National Defense,

who made an absurd remarks on the “examination
on the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons”
and counters against non-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula!

We strongly denounce the absurd remarks by the Minister of Kim Tae-Young who tramples down the joint declaration on the non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and Sept. 9 joint statement.

During the audit by the Committee on Budget and Accounts, National Assembly [on Nov. 22], Kim Tae-Young, Minister of National Defense said he “would examine on the deployment of the United States’ tactical nuclear weapons” in Extended Deterrence Committee [agreed on 42nd Security Consultative Meeting. For more on it, click HERE]

The North Korea’s uranium enrichment has already been predicted. It is because since 2009 when there was the announcement of the U.N. Presidential Statement (4/13) that blamed her launch of a satellite (4/5), she has openly declared on the technological development of the uranium enrichment the next day and since then she has made clear on her examination on light water reactor. Her opening to public of the uranium enrichment facility in North Korea this time showed that in actual objects.

There is no basis to judge that she has gone beyond the scope of her ‘right to peaceful use of nuclear’ mentioned in Sept. 19 joint statement in the legal and technological senses in the current stage. Like another countries, the North Korea has the international legal right to build light water reactor. There could have been no spare for North Korea to just wait for the provision of light water reactor from other countries of the six-party, when the expectation on it has been difficult even though it was clearly stated in the Sept. 9 joint statement.

From the political and strategic aspect, the intention of North Korea who has made public of her uranium enrichment facilities can be told to urge the Obama administration that has only prolonged time without any measure, alleging ‘strategic endurance.’ In other words. It is her warning that, if the Obama government would not enter for the settlement of issue through dialogue, she could step toward her nuclear arming by uranium enrichment. If not such intention, there could have been no reason for her to purposely invite a nuclear scientist of the United States and make public of her uranium enrichment facility. Therefore since her essential intention is not in her nuclear arming, the issue of nuclear in the Korean peninsula is the matter that could be solved without limit if [the North Korea and United States] accept the demands each other by resuming the NK-US talks and six party talks. The verbal remark by Siegfried Hecker, Director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation of Stanford University, who is told to have said that “there would be no non-nuclearization of Korean peninsula without basic change of the NK-US relationship," means [North Korea] can realize the non-nuclearization of Korean peninsula if the United States withdraws from her hostile North Korean policy, in other words.

Seeing in that context, the remark by Kim Tae-Young, Ministry of National Defense, on his ‘examination on the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons’ is a reckless one confrontational against North Korea, more aggravating the nuclear issue in the Korean peninsula but not solving it. While the North Korea has only made public open her uranium enrichment facilities, having her right supported by international law, it is enormously excessive and irrational that he says such and such on the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons. [His saying] not only deviates from the joint declaration on the non-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula and 9.19 joint statement, but pours over cold water onto the political situation that is demanded of the resumption of the six party talks for the non-nuclearization of Korean peninsula. If the remark by the Ministry Kim is realized, the security of the Korean peninsula and North East Asia would be more dangerous with the non-nuclearization of Korean peninsula becoming [impossible], the nuclear domino situation being staged in the North East Asia, and the danger of nuclear war being heightened.

We strongly denouncing Kim Tae-Young, Ministry of National Defense, who makes routine of absurd remarks confrontational against North Korea and countering against the non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, demand the resignation of the Minister Kim who makes dangerous of security.

Otherwise, it seems that there is an expedient judgment working , that is intended to weaken the people’s voice of distrust and criticism being poured onto himself and the Ministry of National Defense, because of its concealment and manipulation on the Cheonan ship incident, successive incidents and irrationality within military, by drawing the support by the bellicose power who is against North Korea and wishes the redeployment of the nuclear weapon of the United States [in the Korean peninsula] or nuclear arming of South Korea.

Therefore, denouncing the absurd remark by Kim Tae-Young, Ministry of National Defense, who attempts to avoid rebukes being poured on him and Ministry of National Defense, we strongly demand his immediate resignation.

The authorities of the ROK and United States should promptly enter for the NK-US talks, four party peace forum and six party talks for the non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and conclusion of peace agreement!

North Korean’s making public of her uranium enrichment facilities means the lines of ‘strategic endurance’ by the Obama administration and ‘non-nuclearization first’ and ‘apology first on the Cheonan ship incident’ by the Lee Myung Bak administration have become totally failed. A situation in which sanction is not effective and North Korean nuclear ability is being strengthened as time goes-not desired by the authorities of the United States. That is the situation that we have constantly claimed; sanction and oppression rather aggravates the states of things; and time is not in the side of the authorities of the ROK and United States.

The authorities of South Korea, United States and Japan are told to have decided the measure to demand the stop of the uranium enrichment to North Korea for the premise of the resumption of the six party talks, after their going through an emergency discussion related to the opening of uranium enrichment facility by North Korea. It means that while they self-acknowledge that the conditions that they have claimed in the past have failed while revealed their embarrassing situation and limit, by putting a new condition again on the other hand.

Director, Hecker has said, “It is clear that waiting patiently for Pyeongyang to return to the six party talks on terms acceptable to the United States and it allies will exacerbate the problem. A military attack is out of the question. Tightening sanctions further is likewise a dead end…The only hope appears to be engagement.”

We demand the ROK and US authorities to stop their unmeaning behaviors of continuing sanction and oppression with taking pre-condition for talks, following the advice by the director Hecker. We demand the authorities of the ROK and United States to promptly start various kinds of talks and negotiation on the NK-US talks, four party talks (South Korea, North Korea, United States and China), peace forum, six party talks and to contribute to the permanent peace in the Korean peninsula and North East Asia.

Nov. 23, 2010

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea
/ press interview participants

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To see Siegfried Hecker's Yongbyon report, download the below.

SH_Yongbyonreport.pdf
122K View Download

Text Fwd: [Press interview info] Aganist the move for the redeployment of the nuclear weapon in Korean Peninsula 한반도 핵무기 재배치 반대 기자 회견 알림

* 아래는 평통사 국문을 번역한 것입니다. 여기 클릭
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* As Rick Rozoff has informed an article(click), the South Korea Minister of National Defense said he would examine the redeployment of nuclear weapon in the Korean peninsula.

The Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea will have a press interview to denounce Kim Tae-Young, Minister of National Defense who has made an absurd remarks on his “examination on the redeployment of the tactical nuclear weapons, under the title, “Resign, Kim Tae-Young , Minister of National Defense, who counters against the non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” on Nov. 23, 2010, in front of the Ministry of National Defense. The SPARK says its purpose of the press interview as in the below (translated). Its original Korean notice can be seen HERE.
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1. Kim Tae-Young, Ministry of National Defense told, in relation to North Koreans’ opening to the public of the uranium enrichment facility, that he would examine on the redeployment of the tactical nuclear weapon in the ‘ROK-US Extended Deterrence Committee [in Dec.].’

2. At present, it is difficult to see North Koreans’ uranium enrichment facility to be deviated from the ‘the right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy’ mentioned in the 9.19 joint statement, and it can be said that the reason that North Korea made public of that is, to press the Obama administration-who has just prolonged time without any measure while maintaining ‘strategic endurance’-to come to the stage for talks by showing her possibility of manufacture of nuclear weapons by uranium enrichment. Therefore, because North Korea’s intrinsic intention is not of nuclear arming, if [the North Korea and United States] resume the six party talks and accept each other’s demand, the nuclear issue of the Korean peninsula can be possibly solved without limit.

3. In such sense, the remarks by Kim Tae-Young, Minister of National Defense, not only violate the joint statement of non-nuclearization of North Korea, but also pour cold water onto the political situation that demands the resumption of the six party talks for the non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. While North Korea has only made public open the uranium facilities, it is to violate the principal of proportionality that he says such and such of re-deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. If the remarks by the Minister Kim are realized, non-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula would be little possible and there would be the situation of nuclear domino displayed and the danger of nuclear weapons would be heightened.

4. It seems there is the political judgment working in the provocative remarks by the Minister Kim, to weaken people’s distrust and voice of criticism that are being poured onto him and the Ministry of National Defense, because of its concealment and manipulation on the Cheonan ship incident, by drawing the support by the bellicose anti-North Korean power who wishes the re-deployment of nuclear weapons by the United States or nuclear disarmament of North Korea.

5. Therefore, we will hold the press interview to denounce such absurd remarks by Kim Tae-Young, Minister of National Defense, who tries to avoid the reproaches being poured onto him and the Ministry of National Defense countering against the political situation that demands non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and six-party talks.

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See also

NTI
South Korea might request to again host U.S. tactical nuclear weapons,
the Financial Times reported today (see GSN, April 21).
Monday, Nov. 22, 2010
(* Thanks to Bruce Gagnon)

STOP NATO
DM: U.S. Tactical Nuclear Weapons Can Return To South Korea
Itar-Tass
November 22, 2010
(* Thanks to Rick Rozoff)

Hankyoreh
Confirmed uranium enrichment marks new stage in N.Korea nuclear issue : Six-party talks envoys have begun to embark on
Nov. 22, 2010

Text Fwd: [Translation] The problems of the ROK-US summit meeting [번역] 한미 정상 회담의 문제점들

* Image source: ⓒ CBS 노컷뉴스(www.nocutnews.co.kr)
A Korean NoCutNews article on Aug. 24, 2010 (reporter Park Jong Ryul) has reported on the prospect of the FTA talks between the two ROK & US summits, citing a Washington post article on Aug. 23, 2010.

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* Below is an arbitrary translation of a part from the Link. Nov. 11 would would be a hot day for Koreans as the G20 Summits gather. There is a big rally against G20 in the Seoul station. And there is also another small but important protest in the morning on the same day. I only roughly translated its purpose.
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아래 평통사 글은 링크의 취지 부분 번역한 것. 국문 전문은 여기 클릭

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea
Nov. 10, 2010

The problems of the ROK-US summit meeting

1) The ROK-US summit meeting will be held in the Presidential House on Nov. 11 (Thurs.). In the meeting, issues on the ROK-US FTA, North Korea nuclear weapon, and ROK-US alliance will be discussed.

2) It is known that the Lee Myung-bak government was determined to almost accept the demands of the United States in the sphere of automobile issues. It is unpatriotic for the Lee government to mobilize the form of ‘additional agreement’ beside its content, in the sense that [the government] would endlessly allow the demands of the United States by doing that. There is no alternative beside abolishing of the ROK-US FTA that infringes [ROK’s] economic sovereignty and destroys common people’s livelihood through secret negotiation with rough and ready method.

3) It is told that the ROK and US authorities are coordinating their positions toward the direction of IAEA inspectorate’ returning back to North Korea; declaration on the freeze of the nuclear related activities; and re-confirmations on the fulfillment of 9.19 joint statement. Unilateral demand is deviating from the 9.19 joint statement that is agreed upon the “spirit of the mutual respect & equality” and “mutually coordinated measure.” We urge the ROK and US authorities to launch the talks on non-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula and peace agreement, by resuming the NK-US talks and six party talks by taking steps, based on the principals of ‘pledge vs. pledge,’ and ‘action vs. action.’

4) The ROK-US summits will reconfirm to develop the ROK-US alliance toward the strategic alliance as they have agreed with each other in the ‘ROK-US alliance joint vision.’ What the comprehensive strategic alliance means is that [the two authorities] would keep the United States’ dominant policy in the world by converting the ROK-US alliance into an invasive one, and that South Korea would be the filial sub-partner of it. We oppose the strengthening of invasive ROK-US alliance that is the violation of [the ROK] constitution and ROK-US mutual defense treaty; that threatens the peace in the Korean peninsula & World; and that strengthens the invasive ROK-US alliance, increasing people’s burden and sacrifice.

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* The timing of the below article is noticeable. You may refer to the below.

Washington Post
Security Council to release long-delayed North Korea nuclear report
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 9, 2010; 10:52 PM

Reminding 9. 19 Joint Statement in 2005; 2005년 9. 19 공동 성명 상기하기

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, June 16, 2009

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* 국문으로 된 9. 19 공동 성명 전문은 여기를 클릭
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9. 19 Joint Statement

9. 19, 2005

The Fourth Round of the Six-Party Talks was held in Beijing, China among the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America from July 26th to August 7th, and from September 13th to 19th, 2005.

Mr. Wu Dawei, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, Mr. Kim Gye Gwan, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK; Mr. Kenichiro Sasae, Director-General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; Mr. Song Min-soon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the ROK; Mr. Alekseyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; and Mr. Christopher Hill, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the United States attended the talks as heads of their respective delegations.

Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei chaired the talks.

For the cause of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia at large, the Six Parties held, in the spirit of mutual respect and equality, serious and practical talks concerning the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula on the basis of the common understanding of the previous three rounds of talks, and agreed, in this context, to the following:

1. The Six Parties unanimously reaffirmed that the goal of the Six-Party Talks is the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.

The DPRK committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to IAEA safeguards.

The United States affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or conventional weapons.

The ROK reaffirmed its commitment not to receive or deploy nuclear weapons in accordance with the 1992 Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while affirming that there exist no nuclear weapons within its territory.

The 1992 Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula should be observed and implemented.

The DPRK stated that it has the right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The other parties expressed their respect and agreed to discuss, at an appropriate time, the subject of the provision of light water reactor to the DPRK.

2. The Six Parties undertook, in their relations, to abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and recognized norms of international relations.

The DPRK and the United States undertook to respect each other's sovereignty, exist peacefully together, and take steps to normalize their relations subject to their respective bilateral policies.

The DPRK and Japan undertook to take steps to normalize their relations in accordance with the Pyongyang Declaration, on the basis of the settlement of unfortunate past and the outstanding issues of concern.

3. The Six Parties undertook to promote economic cooperation in the fields of energy, trade and investment, bilaterally and/or multilaterally.

China, Japan, ROK, Russia and the US stated their willingness to provide energy assistance to the DPRK.

The ROK reaffirmed its proposal of July 12th 2005 concerning the provision of 2 million kilowatts of electric power to the DPRK.

4. The Six Parties committed to joint efforts for lasting peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

The directly related parties will negotiate a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula at an appropriate separate forum.

The Six Parties agreed to explore ways and means for promoting security cooperation in Northeast Asia.

5. The Six Parties agreed to take coordinated steps to implement the afore-mentioned consensus in a phased manner in line with the principle of "commitment for commitment, action for action".

6. The Six Parties agreed to hold the Fifth Round of the Six-Party Talks in Beijing in early November 2005 at a date to be determined through consultations.

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• Related Korean articles 관련 국문 기사들

5주년 맞은 북핵 9.19 공동성명 (연합뉴스,2010.09.19) (평화와 통일을 여는 사람들 사이트 관련 기사난)

평화 넷트 워크: [토론회] 9.19 공동성명과 6자회담의 전망(9. 16, 2010)

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• Related English articles 관련 영문 기사들

People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy(PSPD)
Initial Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement (in Korean & English)
13 February 2007
참여 연대 평화 군축 센터(click)
9.19 공동성명 이행을 위한 초기조치(국, 영문전문)
2007.2.13
* English follows after Korean.


Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea:
Letter Sent to the Presidents of the Republic of Korea and the United States on the Occasion of the Korean-US Summit Conference (2009.6.16)

Excerpt 발제:

'The ROK and the US intend to convert the ROK-US alliance into a global and permanent alliance. Burwell Bell, while acting as the USFK commander, said that he hoped that the US troops would be stationed in Korea even after a Korean peninsula peace agreement is concluded, and last July, Timothy Keating, the US Pacific commander, explained that while the USFK are stationed here permanently, the US troops would participate in humanitarian aid or disaster relief operations and the like.

This shows clearly that the US intends to continue the stationing of the USFK and the ROK-US alliance permanently. The "joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance", which aims to perpetuate the aggressive ROK-US alliance, goes against the trend of our time, which is to establish a structure of peace and security for the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia by means of the withdrawal of foreign military forces, the abolition of the military alliance, and achieving peace and disarmament. In particular, stipulating "extended deterrence" in the "joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance", runs counter to the 9.19 joint statement which declares the goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.'


Pacific Freeze website

All the blogs on 9. 19, 2005 Joint Statement

Text Fwd:[Translation] Joint Action's Letter on July 25, 2010

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* Below is the arbitrary translation. The original Korean statement written on July 25, 2010, can be seen HERE and in many organizations' sites including HERE. 'The Joint Action for the Truth Examination of the Cheonan Ship Incident and Peace in the Korean Peninsula (http://326true.net/) is a joint framework to examine the truth of the ‘sunken Cheonan ship incident’ that is full of suspicion and to realize the peace in the Korean peninsula. It started by 43 organizations on June 16, 2010' (translation from its introduction site)
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정전협정 체결 57년

Upon the 57th commemoration of the conclusion on the Ceasefire agreement

천안함 진실규명, 한미 군사훈련 중단,
평화협정 체결 촉구 서한

Letter to Call Upon the Truth Examination of the Cheonan Ship,
Stop of the ROK-US War Exercise
And Conclusion of the Peace Agreement

정전협정 체결 57년이 되는 올해, 한반도 일대의 군사적 긴장은 크게 고조되고 있다.

This year when the conclusion on the ceasefire agreement meets its 57th commemoration, the militaristic tension in the Korean peninsula is being immensely heightened.

천안함 침몰사건을 빌미로 한 대대적인 대북압박, 군사대결 정책으로 인해 군사분계선과 해상 경계선 일대에서 군사적 충돌 위험이 매우 높아졌다. 특히 오늘부터 동해에서는 1976년 판문점 위기 이후 최대규모의 해,공군 합동 한미연합 전쟁연습 ‘불굴의 의지’가 시작되었으며, 북측에서도 이에 대응하여 ‘물리적 대응’, ‘보복성전’을 경고하고 나섰다.

Because of the extensive oppression against North Korea and military confrontation policy, the danger of militaristic clash has been very heightened in the areas of the Military Demarcation Line and Maritime borderline. Especially from today, the joint ROK-US naval & air war exercise, ‘Invincible Spirit,’ which is the largest scale since the Panmunjeom crisis in 1976, has begun in the East Sea, and North Korea responded against it warning of ‘ physical response,’ and ‘sacred retaliation war.’

한반도 일대의 적대적 대결과 충돌은 남북 민중, 나아가 동북아 민중 모두의 평화적 생존권을 위협하는 일이다. 한반도 일대의 군사적 긴장을 없애기 위해서는 주한미군을 비롯한 전쟁무력을 없애고 평화협정을 체결하여 전쟁상태를 완전히 끝내고 공고한 평화체제를 구축해야 한다.

The hostile confrontation and clash in the area of Korean peninsula threatens the right to live in peace, of the people in South and North Korea and further of the people in the North East Asia. To get rid of the militaristic tension in the Korean peninsula zone, it is necessary to eliminate the war military power including the United States Forces of Korea; to conclude the peace agreement to completely end the status of war; and to establish the stable peace structure.

천안함 침몰 사건에 대한 모든 정보를 공개하고 전면적인 재조사를 실시하라!

Open all the information on the incident of the sunken Cheonan Ship and act on the whole reexamination on it!

천안함 침몰사건은 오늘날 한반도 일대의 군사적 대결과 충돌 위험을 고조시키는 핵심적 요인이 되고 있음에도 불구하고, 그 진상에 대한 안팎의 의혹이 해결되지 못한 채 날로 증폭되고 있다.

Even though the Cheonan ship incident is becoming today, the factor that intensifies the militaristic confrontation and possibly dangerous clash in the area of the Korean peninsula, the suspicions surrounding the truth of the [incident] have not been settled but rather increased daily.

천안함 침몰 사건 조사 발표 내용 중 이미 TOD 동영상 편집 조작, 사건 발생 시간 보고 조작, 설계도 관련 조작 등 숱한 조작들이 확인된 바 있으며, 어뢰 파편 흡착물 의혹, ‘1번’ 글씨 및 어뢰 파편의 부식 기간 의혹, 침몰 장소와 TOD 동영상 방위각 사이의 이격, 당시 진행된 한미 대잠수함 훈련 문제 등 많은 의혹들이 계속 쏟아지고 있다.

Among the announced content of the investigation on the sunken Cheonan ship, countless manipulations- such as those of the TOD movie editing, of the incident occurrence time, and of the related [North Korean torpedo] design draft- have already been clear, while there are pouring out many suspicions like- on an adhesive material on the torpedo fragment, ‘ 1 번’ (*pronounced il-beon, meaning NO. 1), the corrosion period in the torpedo fragment, sunken site, differently [identified] angle from the azimuth angles in the TOD movie, and the matter of ROK-US submarine exercise that was being processed at the time.

한미 양국은 더 이상 진상규명 요구를 외면하지 말고 천안함 침몰 사건에 대한 관련 정보를 모두 공개하고, 국정조사 및 남과 북이 함께 참가하는 공동조사 등 전면적인 재조사를 통해 한 점 의혹도 남김없이 진상을 규명하라!

The both ROK & US authorities should no more neglect the demand for the examination on the truth; should all open the information related to the sunken Cheonan ship; and should totally examine the truth without a suspicion left through a total reinvestigation such as the investigation on the government affairs and joint investigation in which the South and North join together!

대규모 한미연합 전쟁연습 즉각 중단하고, 대북 군사대결 정책 철회하라!

Immediately stop the large-scale ROK-US joint war exercise and withdraw the military confrontation policy against North Korea!

한미 양국은 오늘부터 동해 일대에서 항공모함 ‘조지 워싱턴’호, 이지스함 등 20여척의 함정을 비롯해 F-22 전투기 등 200여대의 항공기를 동원한 대규모의 해,공군 합동 훈련을 진행하고 있다.

From today, the both ROK-US nations are processing the large-scale naval-air joint drill in the area of East Sea, in which they mobilize the aircraft carrier, ‘George Washington,’ 20 naval vessels such as Aegis Destroyer, and 200 air crafts such as the F-22 fighter planes.

이번 훈련은 ‘천안함 대응조치’의 일환으로 진행되는 것으로서 은폐 조작된 진상조사 결과를 앞세워 실질적인 무력시위를 하겠다는 것에 다름 아니다. 한미 양국이 대대적인 군사훈련, 무력시위를 강행함에 따라 북측도 군사적 대응을 공언하고 나섰다. 힘과 힘이 충돌할 우려가 현실화되고 있는 셈이다.

This exercise is being processed as part of the ‘response measure on the Cheonan ship’ and it is nothing but that [the ROK & US are exposing their intention] that they are to do virtual military demonstration alleging a concealed and manipulated investigation of truth. As the both authorities of the ROK & US enforce the extensive military exercise & military power demonstration, the North Korea presented herself to declare that she would do the military response. The apprehension that power and power might clash each other is being realized.

그러나 미국 주도의 유엔안보리에서 조차 천안함 공격의 당사자가 북이라는 한미 양국의 주장이 수용되지 않았고, 아세안지역안보포럼(ARF)에서는 침몰에 대한 ‘규탄’ 언급도 빠져버렸다. 반면, 유엔안보리 의장성명과 ARF 의장성명에서는 ‘대화와 협상을 통한 평화적 해결’, ‘6자회담의 조속한 재개’를 권고하였다. 이것만이 한반도 일대에서의 군사적 충돌을 막고 실질적인 해결을 강제할 수 있기 때문이다.

However, even in the UN Security Council lead by the United States, the claim by the both authorities of the ROK & US was not accepted and in the Asian Regional Security Forum (ARF), even the mention of ‘denunciation’ was dropped out. On the other side, the UN Security Council Presidential Statement and ARF Presidential Statement recommended the ‘peaceful solution through dialogue and negotiation,’ and ‘prompt resumption of the six party talks.’ It is because only those can block military clash in the Korean peninsula area and enforce the virtual settlement of it.

한미 양국은 평화를 파괴하고 군사적 충돌 위험성을 높이는 무력시위, ‘불굴의 의지’ 군사훈련을 즉각 중단하고, 대북 군사대결 정책을 철회하라!

The both authorities of ROK & US should immediately stop the military exercise, ‘invincible spirit,’ a military power demonstration that intensifies the danger of military clash and should withdraw the military confrontation policy against North Korea!

정전협정 폐기하고 평화협정 체결하라!

Abolish the Ceasefire Agreement and Conclude the Peace Agreement!

한반도 일대의 군사적 긴장상태가 해소되지 않는 것은 근본적으로 정전협정이 평화협정으로 전환되지 않고 있기 때문이다.

The reason that the situation of the militaristic tension in the Korean peninsula is not settled is fundamentally because the peace agreement is not being converted into the peace agreement.

전쟁이 일시 중단된 현재의 상태로는 언제라도 군사적 충돌이 일어날 수 있으며, 최악의 경우 전면전으로 비화될 위험성도 배제할 수 없다. 그 뿐 아니라, 이를 빌미로 한 주한미군 주둔과 패권적 한미동맹으로 인해 자주권과 평화적 생존권이 심각히 파괴되고 민중의 혈세가 빼앗기고 있다.

In the current situation when the war is temporarily paused, there could be militaristic clash any time and one cannot exclude the danger that it could expand into all-out war in the worst. Not only that, due to the stationing United States Forces of Korea and dominating ROK-US alliance, the right of self-reliance and right to live Peacefully are being seriously destroyed and people’s bloody tax are being gotten rid of.

6 자회담 당사국들은 9.19 공동성명에서 한반도의 영구적 평화체제 수립을 위해 별도의 포럼을 열기로 합의하였고, 지난 해 보즈워스 특사의 방북 이후 미국도 ‘평화협정 체결 협상’이 시작될 수 있음을 거론한 바 있는 만큼, 대북 압박을 즉각 중단하고 평화협정 협상에 나서야 한다.

The related parties of the six party talks have agreed with one another in 9.19 joint statement to hold a separate forum for the permanent peace system in the Korean peninsula and just as after Bosworth’s-the special envoy- visit to North Korea last year, the United States has mentioned that ‘the negotiation on the conclusion of the peace agreement’ could be started soon, the [United States] should immediately stop the oppression against North Korea and step forward to peace agreement.

이명박 정부 또한 북측 김계관 부상의 방미를 좌절시킨데 이어 리처드슨 뉴멕시코 지사의 방북을 가로막는 등 북미 간 접촉과 대화를 방해하는 시대역행적이고 치졸한 행태를 즉각 중단하고, 남북관계 개선과 한반도 평화를 위한 대화에 즉각 나서라!

The Lee Myung-Bak government should immediately stop the era-retrogressive and crude behavior that interrupts the contact & dialogue between North Korea & United States also, such as blocking the visit by Richardson- the State Governor of the New Mexico-to North Korea, after break-downing of the visit by Kim Kye Gwan-the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in North Korea- to the United States; and should immediately step forward for the improvement of the inter-Korean relationship and dialogue for the peace in the Korean peninsula!

한반도 일대의 평화가 크게 위협당하고, 대화와 협상의 전망이 극히 어두워져 있는 지금, 우리는 평화를 실현하기 위한 투쟁을 힘차게 전개할 것이다.

Now the peace in the area of the Korean peninsula is being seriously threatened and the prospect for dialogue and negotiation is immensely darkened, we will briskly unfold our struggles to realize peace.

우리는 우선 전쟁연습 기간인 오늘부터 28일까지 전국 각지에서 농성과 촛불시위, 기자회견과 1인 시위 등을 통해 한미연합군사훈련을 규탄하고 그 중단을 촉구하는 여론을 모아나갈 것이며, 앞으로 미군없는 평화협정 체결, 공고한 평화체제 구축을 실현하기 위해 각계의 실천을 계속 조직해 나갈 것이다.

In the first place, from today to 28th which is the war exercise period, we will denounce the ROK-US joint war exercise through nationwide sit-ins, candle protests, press interviews and one-man protests; will gather the public opinion to demand the stop of it; and in the future, we will continuously organize the practices from the various fields to realize the conclusion of the peace agreement [by which] the USFK [withdraw], and establishment of firm peace system.


2010년 7월 25일

July 25, 2010

천안함 사건 진실규명과 한반도 평화를 위한 공동행동

Joint Action for the Truth Examination of the Cheonan ship Incident and Peace in the Korean Peninsula

Text Fwd: Obama’s inconsistency? There’s nothing but negotiation

Peace Network
Obama’s inconsistency? There’s nothing but negotiation

2010. 04. 23

Written by Wook-sik Cheong
Translated by intern En-hye Lee and volunteer Michael Glendinning

Obama administration is taking three contradictory approaches to relations with North Korea over the issue of nuclear weapons. First of all, Obama is not admitting nuclear weapons even though North Korea possesses them. Secondly, Obama administration’s determination to oversee the “complete implementation” of the 9.19 Joint Statement from the six-party talks changed direction during the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR). Thirdly, Obama administration is consistent with negative and indirect diplomacy despite it having declared undertaking ‘tough and direct dialogues’ with North Korea.

The Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, stated that North Korea has somewhere between one and six nuclear weapons. This statement brought about a strong presumption that the US acknowledged North Korea as a state possessing nuclear weapons. Especially, there has been a huge doubt whether the US has come up with a new revised goal which attempts to block the transfer of the North Korea’s nuclear materials and technology to other nations or terrorist groups, concluding that North Korea’s denuclearization is impossible.

Gary Samore, White House Coordinator for Arms control and Weapons of Mass Destruction, played down the presumptions claiming that the US cannot acknowledge North Korea as a nuclear weapons state and that the US policy is absolute in its support of complete denuclearization in the Korean peninsula.

It is understandable that the US has inconsistent views about the issues. North Korea has a multitude of plutonium which can lead to the production of nuclear weapons. Moreover, the North has undertaken two nuclear tests. So North Korea, at least ‘technically’, can be classified as a nuclear state. However, the US is taking a clear stance that North Korea cannot be described as a nuclear state because ‘political and diplomatic’ acknowledgment directly violates the US’s nonproliferation policy.

The problem is that if the inconsistency between technological and political acknowledgement of North Korea’s possessing nuclear warheads cannot be resolved at once, the contradictory nature of Obama’s North Korean policy will only intensify the situation and the suspicions will expand whether the US, which thinks it is impossible to settle North Korea’s nuclear issue, is only focusing on the blocking of nuclear transfer.

Preemptive attacks on North Korea or Strategic Obscurity?

The Obama administration declared that the United States will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons sates that are party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and which are in compliance with their nuclear nonproliferation obligations. According to this standard, North Korea which conducted two nuclear tests and Iran, which is well known as a state that violated NPT, remained as possible targets of the US nuclear preemptive attack. The US government has confirmed this declaration several times.

The problem is that this kind of US position could be seen as a violation of the 9.19 Joint Statement decided upon during six-party talks. This agreement states that “The United States affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or conventional weapons.” However, 9.19 Joint Statement was agreed during the period when North Korea withdrew from NPT and declared that they were in possession of nuclear weapons.

Regarding this, there could be a counterargument which supports the fact that North Korea has to be excluded from the provision of negative security assurance since the North has undertaken two nuclear tests. But if the US maintains the key option of nuclear preemptive attack, this does not accord with the current US policy towards the North as the US does not currently acknowledge North Korea as a nuclear state.

When it comes to North Korea’s previous nuclear tests, it is understandable that Obama administration’s position towards North Korea is trying to create an exception from negative security assurance. However, it would have been better to take strategic ambiguity instead of mentioning the possibility of a nuclear preemptive attack on the North. In other words, Obama should have stayed at the level of pushing North Korea towards discarding nuclear weapons at the earliest possible moment and return to NPT while simultaneously clarifying the basic position of negative security assurance.

Obama administration believes that making it clear about the possibility of a nuclear preemptive attack will be an incentive for North Korea to abandon the nuclear program. However, with North Korea’s denouncement of Nuclear Posture Review(NPR), this brings about an adverse effect for North Korea to come up with modernization of nuclear weapons and the declaration of nuclear state.

Retracing Bush’s failed diplomacy?

These two contradictions stem from the renouncement of Obama’s “tough and direct dialogue”. In regards to North Korea’s request to have bilateral talks with the US, Obama administration keeps repeating “it is possible only within the framework of six-party talks”. It is obvious that this is just the same as the Bush administration’s tiresome and repetitive statement used up until 2006.

Bush administration stoutly refused to participate in the bilateral talks with the North up until 2006. The two countries finally met for talks in 2007. The six-party talks made great progress towards the denuclearization of North Korea. This means that direct talks with the North are not the partial parts of the six-party talks but the crucial part that has to go together with the six-party talks. Obama administration once firmly criticized Bush administration’s foreign policy and pursued to have dialogues with hostile nations without any preconditions, however, it turned back to Bush administration’s ‘failed diplomacy’.

Moreover, the US has recently delayed the resumption of six-party talks because of the ongoing investigation which is still putting a lot of effort into finding out the truth. The US related this incident to the six-party talks even though it is uncertain whether the Korean attack was caused by North Korea. In light of this, it is somewhat disappointing that Obama administration’s foremost goal in foreign policy in the area which is to achieve denuclearization on the Korean peninsula through six-party talks turned out to be nothing.

Due largely to tragic incident, Obama believes that the two countries cannot participate in the bilateral talks and six-party talks right away. This issue should be discussed once this incident is resolved. So far in this situation, there is a lot of thought that this Cheonan ship sinking incident remains to be a permanent mystery. Relating this incident to six-party talks will debilitate the dialogue. The key lesson we can learn from the North Korean nuclear issue, which lasted for about 20 years, is that if we get far away from any dialogue, North Korea’s nuclear potential is more likely to become a reality. Furthermore, the US’s contradictory position will become even further entrenched.

The way to resolve the multiple contradictions is entirely up to Obama. He has to start over and go back to his original plans for US foreign policy. We need to keep in mind that bilateral talks and six-party talks have to get together and also work together instead of confining bilateral talks to six-party talks. This was also the Obama’s promise during his presidential campaign. Furthermore, we need to get rid of self-satisfactory and unilateral ways of thinking in order to demolish North Korea with sanctions and pressures and we should be open-minded to understand North Korea’s demands. It is my understanding that it is a must to prevent the ‘Korean Armageddon’ when we are faced with the North’s modernization of nuclear weapons and a possible US nuclear preemptive attack.

[Photos Fw] Violation of 9.19, Abolish the Nuclear Preemptive Strike Policy against North Korea

* Image source: Cho Sung-Bong, Tongil News, April 8, 2010

The banner says:

' Press Interview upon the US Nuclear Posture Review Announcement
United States, Abolish the Nuclear Preemptive Strike against North Korea
Promptly Enter the Negotiation for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

and Conclusion of the Peace Agreement!
12pm, April 8, 2010, in front of the United States Embassy
Organized by Family Association for the Practice of Democracy, Family Association for Supporting Conscientious Prisoners, Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (South Korea branch), April Revolution Council, and Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea'

Other Korean letter boards say:

'North Korea Nuclear Weapon is the product of the US nuclear preemptive strategy.'
'Remove the nuclear umbrella'
and 'The pledge of the nuclear-free world and nuclear preemptive strategy is contradictory each other!!'

* Image source: Cho Sung-Bong, Tongil News, April 8, 2010

The Korean letter boards say:

'We denounce the US nuclear policy that goes against the peace in the Korean peninsula and denuclearization'
'First abolish the nuclear preemptive strike strategy then demand North Korea to give up the nuclear [weapon]!'

* Image sourec: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea(SPARK), April 8, 2010
Another Korean board says: Obama's NPR is the Violation of 9.19 Joint Satement

* Below is arbitrary translation of part of the link.

Tongil News

"9.19 위반, 대북 핵 선제공격 정책 폐기하라"
: 美 2010 NPR 발표에, 시민사회단체 우려 나타내
2010년 04월 08일 (목) 14:54:30 고성진 기자 kolong81(at) tongilnews.com

Violation of 9.19, Abolish the Nuclear Preemptive Strike Policy against North Korea
: Upon the US Announcement of the 2010 NPR, Social Civil Organizations Express Concern
April 8, 2010(Thursday) Koh Sung-Jin kolong81(at) tongilnews.com

오바마 미국 행정부의 '2010핵태세검토보고서(NPR)' 발표에 대해 시민사회단체들이 대북 핵 선제공격 정책을 폐기할 것을 촉구했다.

Upon the Obama administration's announcement of the 2010 NPR review, thesocial civil organizations urged to abolish the nuclear pre-emptive attack against the North Korea.

평화와통일을여는사람들 등은 8일 낮, 서울 광화문 미 대사관 인근 KT빌딩 앞에서 기자회견을 열고 "미국의 NPR 내용은 '핵무기 또는 재래식 무기로 북한을 공격 또는 침공할 의사가 없다'고 공약한 9.19공동성명을 위반하고 '핵무기 없는 세계'를 지향한다고 하면서도 완전한 핵 군축에 나서지 않는다는 측면에서 위선적"이라고 우려했다.

The organizations such as the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, holding the press interview in front of the KT building, near the United States embassy, Gwanghwamoon, Seoul, during the day of April 8, expressed concern that, " The contents of the US NPR is hypocritical in the sense that, it violates the 9.19 joint statement in which the United States said that 'it has no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or conventional weapons.' ; and it, while saying it pursues the nuclear-free world, does not enter for the complete nuclear reduction.

Text Fwd:[SPARK] Statement on the result of the South Korea-United States Summit Meeting

* Below is the unofficial translation of the statement by the SPARK (Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea) on Nov. 20, 2009, after the President Obama’s visit of South Korea (Nov. 18~19). The SPARK is one of the representative organizations regarding the issues of peaceful reunification in South Korea. It was one of the first organizations that made a statement on the result of Obama visit to South Korea. While it can not be seen as representing the view of the whole South Korean movement, one may glimpse some points that the South Korean activists have to say, including the issue of re-dispatch to Afghanistan. For the issue of Afghanistan, please see No. 1. The translation is by Agatha Haun (dillardhaun@gmail.com) who did a proofreading and suggested the helpful revisions as well on the 1st draft by the No base stories of Korea. Thanks very much, Agatha!

한미정상회담 결과 논평
Statement on the result of
the South Korea-United States Summit meeting

이명박 대통령과 오바마 미국 대통령의 정상회담이 19일 열렸다. 이 회담에서는 한미동맹, 북핵, 한미FTA 문제 등이 논의되었다. 이에 대한 우리의 입장을 다음과 같이 밝힌다.

The South Korea-United States summit meeting was held on [Nov.] 19. In the meeting, the issues of the South Korea-United States alliance, the North Korean nuclear program, and the South Korean-US FTA (Free Trade Agreement) were discussed. Our views on these questions are explained below.


1. 대미 종속 심화시키고 한반도 평화협정 정세 거스르는 한미 전략동맹과 ‘2+2’ 회담 폐기하라!

1. Abolish the South Korea-United States Strategic Alliance and ‘2+2’ meeting that increase South Korea's subjugation to the United States and violate the spirit of the movement to reach a peace agreement on the Korean peninsula!

한 미 양국 두 정상은 “지난 6월 정상회담에서 채택한 한미동맹 공동비전을 내실있게 이행하여 한미동맹을 모범적인 21세기 전략동맹으로 발전시켜 나가기로” 했다. 이를 위해 “내년에 한미 양국의 외교`국방 장관이 함께 만나서 미래지향적인 동맹 발전의 구체적인 방안에 대해 논의”하기로 했다.

The two South Korea-United States summits decided: “By substantially following up the South Korea-United States joint vision adopted in the summit meeting last June, to develop the South Korea-United States alliance toward an exemplary strategic alliance in the 21st century.” And for that purpose, “the ministers of the foreign policy and defense departments in both countries, the South Korea and the United States, will meet next year and discuss the concrete ways to develop the alliance in a future-oriented way”.

한 미 전략동맹은 한미동맹을 한미상호방위조약에 근거한 기존의 방어동맹에서 침략동맹으로 바꾸자는 것이다. 이는 본질적으로 미국의 국익에 한국의 국익을 일치시키자는 것으로서 불법적인 것일 뿐만 아니라 한반도와 세계 평화를 위협하고 우리에게 온갖 부담과 희생을 강요하는 일이다.

The South Korea-United States strategic alliance is to transform the South Korea-United States alliance from the existing defense alliance based on the Mutual Security Treaty [in 1954] into an aggressive, offensive alliance. It is in essence illegal, not only in the sense that it aligns South Korea's national interest with that of the United States, but also threatens the peace of the Korean peninsula and the world and forces us to bear all kinds of burden and sacrifice.

양국 외교`국방 장관이 참여하는 이른바 ‘2+2’ 회담을 열기로 한 것은 한미 전략동맹을 본격적인 실행단계로 발전시키겠다는 뜻으로 보인다. 이렇게 되면 한국군 아프간 재파병과 같은 일이 더욱 일상적으로 벌어지게 될 것이다.

The fact that [the two summits agreed] to have the ‘2+2’ meeting, in which the ministers of foreign and defense departments of the both countries reached agreements, seems to indicate that [the two summits] have decided to actively implement the South Korea-United States strategic alliance. If it happens, South Korean troops would be obligated to deploy to Afghanistan and other areas of conflict more frequently, at the demand of the US.

우리나라는 평화적 통일과 세계평화를 국가이익의 중요한 요소로 삼고 있다. 그런데 이를 근본적으로 위협해 온 한미동맹의 범위를 전방위적으로 확장하여 강화하겠다는 것은 우리의 국익에도 반하고 한반도 평화협정 정세에도 역행하는 것이다. 북을 적국으로 삼고 중국과 러시아를 겨냥하는 양자동맹을 강화하는 것과 한반도 및 동북아 평화`안보체제를 구축하는 것은 모순이 되기 때문이다.

Our country holds the position that the peaceful unification of Korea and peace in the world are among the important elements of our national interest. Then, the statement that [the two summits] would expand the scope of the South Korea-United States alliance, which fundamentally threatens unification and peace, into full spectrum and strengthen it, is against our national interest. It complicates the political situation and makes it more difficult to reach a peace agreement on the Korean peninsula because the two sets of goals are completely opposed to each other: to strengthen the bilateral alliance that sees North Korea as the enemy nation and is aimed against China and Russia; and to establish a peace and security system on the Korean peninsula and in the North East Asian region.

한 편, 미국이 한국과 ‘2+2’ 회담을 하기로 한 것은 일본과의 ‘2+2’ 회담에 이어 올 해부터 중국과의 ‘2+2(전략`경제대화)’ 회담이 시작되고, 소외를 우려하여 한국이 반대해왔던 ‘미중일 3자 전략대화’를 열기로 한 것에 대한 보상과 무마 차원인 것으로 보인다. 이는 미국이 동북아에서 자신의 패권을 지키기 위해 한중일 각 나라를 분할 관리 또는 지배하는 방식이라고 할 수 있다.

Otherwise, it seems that a policy of compensation and appeasement toward United States has begun. There was a ‘2+2’ meeting with South Korea following her ‘2+2’ meeting with Japan, her ‘2+2’ meeting with China (dialogue on strategic economy) will begin this year and then there will be the three-party strategic dialogue among the United States, China, and Japan, which South Korea had opposed for fear of isolation. It can be said that it is the way of the United States to divisively manage or rule each country -- South Korea, China, and Japan -- in order to maintain her domination in North East Asia.

이에 우리는 미국의 국익과 패권을 지키기 위해 우리의 국익을 훼손하고 대미 종속의 심화시키며 한반도 평화협정 정세에 역행하는 한미 전략동맹과 이를 위한 ‘2+2’ 회담을 반대한다. 이에 우리는 미국 패권을 위한 대결적이고 퇴행적인 구조를 강화하는 이 같은 흐름을 중단하고 한반도 평화헙정과 동북아 협력안보체제를 구축함으로써 관련국들의 이해관계를 협력적 방식으로 조율해 나아갈 것을 촉구한다.

Seeing that, we oppose the South Korea-United States strategic alliance and ‘2+2’ meeting that are supposed to support the national interest and domination of the United States, to damage our national interest, to deepen the South Korean subjugation into the United States, and to oppose the development of a favorable political climate for a Korean peninsula peace agreement. In view of that, we urge [the two summits] to stop the tendency to strengthen the confrontational and degenerating structure that perpetuates US dominance, and to negotiate in a cooperative way the issues that are of interest to the countries concerned, by establishing the system that will result in reaching a Korean peninsula peace agreement and provide for the [peaceful] mutual security in North East Asia.


2. 이명박 대통령은 비현실적인 ‘그랜드 바겐’ 입장을 철회하고, 오바마 대통령은 북미 정상회담에 조속히 나서 한반도 문제의 근본적 해결을 결단하라!

2. President Lee Myung Bak, withdraw from your position of making an unrealistic ‘Grand Bargain’ and President Obama, immediately begin the North Korea-United States summit meeting and make a determined effort to reach a fundamental settlement of the issue of the Korean peninsula!

북 핵 문제와 관련하여 이명박 대통령은 “두 정상은 그랜드 바겐으로 제시한 일괄 타결이 필요하다는데 전적으로 공감하고 그 구체 내용과 추진 방안에 대해 긴밀히 협의해 나가기로 했다”고 밝혔다. 그러나 오바마 대통령은 기자회견에서 "공동접근 방식(common approach)" "포괄적 해결책(comprehensive resolution)"을 말했을 뿐 ‘그랜드 바겐’이라는 용어는 단 한 차례도 사용하지 않았다. “완전히 의견을 같이한다”거나 “우리도 같은 방식으로 접근한다”고 한 발언은 한미 정상 간에 이견을 드러내지는 않겠다는 뜻으로 이해된다.

Regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, President Lee Myung Bak announced that “The two summits totally agreed with each other that the bundled settlement suggested by the Grand Bargain was needed and that the two would closely negotiate the concrete contents and ways to drive it forward.” However, President Obama only spoke of the “common approach” and “comprehensive resolution”, and did not use even once a term such as ‘Grand Bargain’ in the press interview. His words that [He is] “completely of the same opinion with” [President Lee] or that “We [the United States] approach [this question] in the same way” are understood to mean that he would not yet indicate that there is a difference of opinion between the summits in the South Korea and United States.

‘그 랜드 바겐’의 핵심 내용은 타결과 실행을 일괄적으로 이루는 이른바 ‘원샷 딜(단박 해결)’을 하자는 것이다. 그러나 이런 방식은 6자회담 9`19 공동성명에 명시된 단계적 방식과 행동 대 행동 원칙에 어긋나는 것일 뿐만 아니라 사안의 복잡성에 비추어 현실성도 없는 것이다. 이런 점에서 이명박 대통령이 북한에 대해 6자회담 복귀를 요구하면서도 한편에서는 그랜드 바겐을 주장하는 것은 모순이다. 관련국과 논의도 제대로 거치지 않고 그랜드 바겐을 ‘선언’한 것도 문제다. 바로 이런 점들 때문에 한국의 협력을 필요로 하는 미국조차 이 안에 동의하기 어려운 것이다.

The core content of the ‘Grand Bargain’ is to bundle together the settlement and the follow-up, in a so-called ‘one shot deal’. However, such a method not only violates the step-by-step approach and action-for-action principle elucidated at the 9.19 joint statement in the six party talks, but also, in view of the complexity of the issues, it has no realistic chance of being realized. In that sense, it is contradictory that President Lee Myung Bak demands that North Korea return to the six party meetings while he promotes the Grand Bargain. The essential problem is that he ‘declared’ the Grand bargain without the proper discussion with the countries that are affected by it. For that very reason, it is difficult even for the United States, which needs South Korea's cooperation, to agree with [the Grand Bargain].

이명박 정부가 이처럼 내용이나 절차, 현실성에서 모두 치명적 문제가 있는 그랜드 바겐에 집착하는 이유는 북미관계 진전을 발목 잡고 반북수구세력의 기득권을 지키려는 저의 때문이라고 볼 수밖에 없다.

The reason that the Lee Myung Bak government so strongly supports the Grand Bargain is that the critical problem in all the matters of content, procedure and reality can be explained only by his hidden intention to hinder the progress of improved North Korean-US relations and to maintain the vested rights of the power-holding class, which is anti-North Korea and adheres to its traditional conservative ways.

이에 우리는 이명박 대통령이 실체도 없고 현실성도 없는 그랜드 바겐에 대한 집착을 버리고 북미관계 정상화에 적극 협조하고 이에 발맞추어 남북관계도 정상화할 것을 강력히 촉구한다.

Seeing that, we strongly urge President Lee Myung Bak to abandon his attachment to the Grand Bargain, which has no real substance and no realistic possibility of being implemented, and to actively cooperate for the normalization of the relationship between North Korea and the United States, and simultaneously, to facilitate the normalization relations between North and South Korea.

한 편, 오바마 대통령은 “보즈워스 대북정책 특별대표를 12월 8일 북한에 보내 양자대화를 시작할 것”이라고 밝혔다. 북미 양자대화를 지속적으로 요구해온 우리는 이 발표를 환영한다. 하지만 오바마 대통령은 북한의 “도발적 행동”을 문제 삼으면서 북핵문제의 원인을 북한으로 돌리고 있다. 이는 한국전쟁 이래 핵위협을 지속하여 북한으로 하여금 핵무기개발을 하도록 내몬 미국의 책임을 외면하는 것이다.

Furthermore, President Obama announced that [he would] “start the bilateral talks [with North Korea] by sending Bosworth, the U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea, to visit North Korea on Dec. 8”. We who have constantly demanded the bilateral talks between North Korea and the United States welcome that announcement. However, President Obama places responsibility for the North Korean nuclear problem on North Korea alone, making the problem a matter of North Korea's “provocative action”. This ignores the US's responsibility for pushing North Korea into developing nuclear weapons, by continuing her nuclear threat since the Korean War.

오 바마 대통령이 한반도 핵문제의 원인을 북한의 책임으로 돌리는 태도로는 문제의 해결을 기대하기 어렵다. 이에 우리는 오바마 대통령이 자신이 대통령 선거 과정에서 밝힌 대로 김정일 국방위원장을 직접 만나 허심탄회한 대화를 통해 한반도 비핵화와 평화협정, 북미수교에 대한 결단을 내릴 것을 촉구한다.

It is difficult to expect that the issue will be settled, in view of President Obama's attitude, attributing the emergence of the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula to North Korea. To reach a settlement, we urge President Obama, as he himself announced in the process of the presidential election, to make a decision in favor of the non-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula, a peace agreement, and the establishment of friendly relationship between North Korea and United States, by meeting in person and having open talks with Kim Jong-Il, the Chairman of the Defense Council, [in North Korea].


3. 미국의 부당한 자동차 시장 압력 거부하고 한미FTA 전면 재협상에 나서라!

3. Reject the US's unjust pressure on the automobile market and begin a complete renegotiation of the South Korea-United States FTA (Free Trade Agreement)!

이명박 대통령이 “미국에 자동차 문제가 있다면 우리는 다시 이야기할 자세가 돼 있다”고 밝혔다. 이는 한미FTA 재협상 의지를 밝힌 것이다.

President Lee Myung Bak announced that we, [South Korea] are “prepared to have talks again with the United States if there is any problem on the part of the United States concerning the issue of the automobile industry.” He thus showed that he is open to renegotiating the FTA between South Korea and United States.

한 미FTA는 농업, 서비스 등 대표적인 불평등 분야뿐만 아니라 자동차 분야에서도 굴욕적 내용이 가득하다. 관세철폐, 자동차세제, 안전 및 환경기준이 미국에 일방적으로 유리하게 되어 있을 뿐만 아니라 한국 정부가 이런 약속을 어길 경우 미국이 한국에 약속한 관세 혜택을 박탈할 수 있도록 한 ‘스냅 백’과 신속 분쟁처리 절차(신속 절차)는 그동안 세계 어떤 통상협정에도 없었던 ‘독소 조항’들이다.

The FTA is quite humiliating to South Korea, not only in unequal treatment of South Korea and the US in fields such as agriculture and services, but also automobile manufacturing. The issues of the abolition of tariffs, taxes on automobiles, and safety and environmental protection measures are not only unilaterally advantageous to the United States. Furthermore, the ‘snap back’ and the 'prompt procedure' for dealing with disputes, which gave the US the right to eliminate South Korea's tariff benefit, when the South Korean government does not demand equal treatment on these issues, are also the sort of ‘poisonous clauses’ that can not be seen in any trade negotiations in the world.

미 국이 내세우는 자동차 수출 규모의 현저한 차이는 무역제도의 문제가 아니라 대형차 위주의 미국 자동차 산업이 경쟁력을 잃어 한국민에게 매력이 없기 때문이다. 그럼에도 불구하고 미국이 재협상을 요구하는 것은 억지로라도 미국 자동차의 한국시장 점유율을 올리겠다는 것이다. 이는 자유무역협정의 기본 전제를 무너뜨리는 것이다.

The US raises the issue of the remarkable gap in the sizes of automobiles for export. This is not because of the problem of the trade system but because of the fact that the US automobile industry prioritized the production of large cars and lost its ability to compete in foreign markets, for example, when its cars did not appeal to South Koreans. Despite that, the United States demands re-negotiation because she intends to even forcibly raise the number of United States automobiles in the South Korean market. It is to destroy the basic premise of the free trade agreement itself.

광 우병 위험 미국산 쇠고기 수입에 반대하는 국민의 목소리를 철저히 외면하고 짓밟던 이명박 대통령이 미국의 재협상 요구를 수용하려는 것은 경악할만한 일이다. 이로써 이명박 대통령은 스스로 국민은 탄압하고 미국과 독점자본 이익은 충실히 대변하는 대통령임을 폭로한 것이다.

It is terrible that President Lee Myung Bak attempted to accept the US's demand for renegotiation, completely ignoring and silencing the people’s voice opposing the import of the United States beef due to the risk of mad cow disease. In so doing, President Lee Myung Bak exposed himself as the president who faithfully represents the interest of the United States and monopoly capital, while oppressing his people.

우리는 자동차 분야에서 추가적인 양보를 강요하는 미국과 이를 수용하려는 이명박 정부를 강력히 규탄한다. 우리는 미국의 부당한 압력을 거부하고 이번 기회에 불평등한 한미FTA에 대한 전면 재협상에 나설 것을 강력히 촉구한다.

We strongly denounce the United States for forcing the additional concession in the automobile field and the Lee Myung Bak government for attempting to accept it. We firmly oppose the unjust oppression by the United States and demand a complete renegotiation of the unequal South Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement.


2009. 11. 20.

Nov. 20, 2009

평화와 통일을 여는 사람들
(상임대표 : 문규현, 배종열, 홍근수)

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK)
(Co-Executive Chairpersons: Fr. Moon Kyu-Hyun, Bae Jong-Ryol and Rev. Hong Keun-Soo)

Letter Fwd: Letter Sent to the Presidents of the Republic of Korea and the United States on the Occasion of the Korean-US Summit Conference (2009.6.16

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea
June 16, 2009

The Korean-US summit conference will be opened in Washington DC on June 16. The agenda will include adopting an announcement about the "joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance", the North Korean nuclear problem, the question of a renewed dispatch of ROK troops to Afghanistan, etc. This summit conference, by means of reinforcing the aggressive ROK-US alliance, will increase the ROK's subordination to the US even more and make our nation's sacrifice and burden even heavier. Accordingly, below we clarify our position in opposition to this kind of ROK-US summit conference. Cancel the adoption of the "announcement of the joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance" which seeks to make permanent the aggressive ROK-US alliance! It has been arranged that at this summit conference between the two countries, they will adopt the announcement of the "joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance". This goes beyond the security of the ROK-US alliance; it extends into all spheres of life - politics, the economy, society, culture, everywhere; the essence of it is that it will be developed into a global alliance that is supposed to contribute to stability and peace, not only on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia, but throughout the entire world. The ROK and the US, as a way of justifying efficient cooperation in addressing global issues such as international terror, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, etc., are intensifying their mutual assistance in operations such as the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions or the Proliferation Security Initiative, and hastening the implementation of the ROK-US Free Trade Agreement. This is related to the forward expansion of the ROK-US alliance. The ROK and the US are enlarging the sphere of their alliance in all aspects. This expansion of the geographical scope to include the entire world is a violation of the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty, which limits US troops' sphere of operations to defense against aggression from North Korea. The enlargement of the ROK-US alliance into a global alliance means that the ROK government is perpetuating its subordinate position, blindly obeying the US's demand that the alliance's resources be mobilized and that the US's declining hegemony be maintained. As a result of this, our nation's people must offer land and bear the costs of providing the US with military bases and training areas, buy weapons made in the US, assist in wars of aggression, and bear the burden of all kinds of sacrifices and expenses because of that. The ROK and the US intend to convert the ROK-US alliance into a global and permanent alliance. Burwell Bell, while acting as the USFK commander, said that he hoped that the US troops would be stationed in Korea even after a Korean peninsula peace agreement is concluded, and last July, Timothy Keating, the US Pacific commander, explained that while the USFK are stationed here permanently, the US troops would participate in humanitarian aid or disaster relief operations and the like. This shows clearly that the US intends to continue the stationing of the USFK and the ROK-US alliance permanently. The "joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance", which aims to perpetuate the aggressive ROK-US alliance, goes against the trend of our time, which is to establish a structure of peace and security for the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia by means of the withdrawal of foreign military forces, the abolition of the military alliance, and achieving peace and disarmament. In particular, stipulating "extended deterrence" in the "joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance", runs counter to the 9.19 joint statement which declares the goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Accordingly, we are resolutely opposed to the adoption of the "announcement of the joint vision for the future ROK-US alliance", which endangers peace on the Korean peninsula and world peace, and imposes on us all kinds of sacrifices and burdens. This new alliance will certainly place obstacles in the way of the current trend toward stable peace. We demand categorically that it be abandoned. Stop the sanctions and pressure against North Korea and enter into dialogue with North Korea immediately! Although North Korea asserted its right as a sovereign nation to launch a satellite, the US led the UN Security Council to pass resolution no. 1874, which imposes an embargo on the import or export of weapons, authorizes the inspection of cargo, imposes economic sanctions, etc. The day immediately following this, the 13th, North Korea issued an official statement declaring that it would proceed with the weaponization of plutonium and enrichment of uranium, and would regard any blockade of the North as equivalent to an act of war. The Korean peninsula nuclear problem cannot be resolved by sanctions and confrontation. Not even the omnidirectional blockade policy followed by the US Bush administration, which pushed military unilateralism to an extreme, could make North Korea submit. More stringent sanctions imposed by the US would certainly provoke North Korea into taking stronger counter-measures. Such sanctions and pressure will not solve the problem. On the contrary, they will only make the situation worse. If the US sincerely desires to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, we demand that it abandon its hostile policy toward North Korea, which is the original cause of the North Korean nuclear problem. In addition, we urge the US to enter into negotiations with the North, to conclude a peace agreement that will simultaneously resolve the questions of the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the US's hostile policy toward the North, and to establish amicable relations between North Korea and the US. We also urge the Lee Myeong Bak government, that took the lead in imposing sanctions against the North, to give up its confrontational attitude and start to create the conditions for the purpose of direct North Korean-US dialogue. Stop the redeployment of ROK troops that increases support for the occupation of Afghanistan and for aggressive war! Walter Sharp, the USFK commander, declared in connection with the ROK's support for the Afghanistan war that “the Republic of Korea is ... working very closely with our forces in Afghanistan, with NATO forces that are there in order to be able to determine what is the best contribution, whether its money, forces, or materials." This shows that with reference to Afghanistan, they are considering not only noncombatant support, such as expanding the scope of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT), but even the dispatch of ROK military forces. The ROK government's decision to send more troops to Afghanistan endangers the lives and the national sovereignty of the Afghan people. Furthermore, it violates the ROK Constitution, which disavows aggressive war (article 5, paragraph 1) and violates the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty (articles 2, 3), which authorizes operations only on the Korean peninsula, and is applicable only on occasion of the armed aggression from outside. Not only does this violate the ROK Constitution and the Mutual Defense Treaty; but it also breaks the ROK government's promise to the nation. After the tragic suicides of Sgt. Yoon Jang Ho and a member of the Saemmul Community Church, the ROK government promised that the ROK troops would be immediately evacuated from Afghanistan. We hereby strongly urge the Obama administration to cancel its demand for the redeployment of ROK military forces to Afghanistan, which constitutes a typical instance of the aggressive ROK-US alliance. We also urge the Lee Myeong Bak government not to give any further support to this war of aggression. 2009. 6. 16. Village People's Committee Against the Expansion of the Mugeonri Military Training Field; Support Committee for Prisoners of Conscience; Central Council for National Sovereignty and Reunification; Minkahyup Human Rights Group; Korean Council for Democratic Martyr; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Southern Headquarters of the Pan-Korean People's Alliance for Reunification; Korean Catholic Federation for Justice; Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea Participants of the 117th Joint Monthly Anti-US Rally → Click : [more] SPARK PHOTO → Click : [activities] South Korea US Proest - 2009.6.16