[국회사진기자단]
President Yoon Seok-yeol used the word ‘freedom’ 35 times at the inauguration ceremony held today (10th), emphasizing the importance of liberal democracy.
He also expressed his will to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, which threatens freedom and peace.
“If North Korea stops developing nuclear weapons and converts to practical denuclearization, we will cooperate with the international community to prepare a bold plan to dramatically improve the North Korean economy and the quality of life of North Koreans.”
“The denuclearization of North Korea will not only bring sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, but will also greatly contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world.”
However, there is a noteworthy expression here.
It is the expression of ‘the denuclearization of North Korea’.
This seems similar to the ‘denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula’ used by the Moon Jae-in government, but it is also a term that is quite different.
# Origin of ‘Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula’
“The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” is a term derived from the “Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” that was agreed upon by the two Koreas in 1992.
Article 1 of the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula reads as follows:
‘The South and the North do not test, manufacture, produce, receive, possess, store, distribute (deploy) or use nuclear weapons’
This means that neither North Korea nor South Korea possesses and will not use nuclear weapons.
South Korea does not currently have nuclear weapons, but it also implies that they will not possess nuclear weapons in the future.
The term denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has been used to convey the meaning of ‘Give up nuclear weapons, we will not have nuclear weapons’ to North Korea.
# Conservative camp demanding ‘North Korea denuclearization’
However, some of the conservative camps have continued to raise questions regarding this expression of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea now has nuclear weapons, so why would you use the term denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula?
President Yoon Seok-yeol clearly used the expression ‘the denuclearization of North Korea’ in today’s inaugural address as if in response to such a request, revealing a clear distinction from the Moon Jae-in administration, which has used the term for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
# North Korea likely to rebel
The expression is definitely clearer.
This is because it has made it clearer that North Korea is the one who should give up its nuclear weapons.
However, it is unclear whether this clearer expression will be helpful in practically resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.
This is because there is a high possibility that North Korea will express a strong objection to the word denuclearization of North Korea rather than the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
To resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, we need dialogue with North Korea anyway, because North Korea may not want to talk at all.
Of course, while the expression of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has been used, North Korea has repeatedly conducted nuclear tests, and there are evaluations that even the 7th nuclear test is imminent.
Key figures in the Yun Seok-Yeol administration use the expression ‘normalization of inter-Korean relations’ and show a negative stance on the ‘Peace Process on the Korean Peninsula’ promoted by the Moon Jae-in administration.
The word ‘North Korea’s denuclearization’ also seems to be an expression used as an extension of this perception.
However, there are concerns among experts on North Korea that the expression ‘the denuclearization of North Korea’ may become an obstacle to dialogue in a situation in which North Korea must somehow be brought to the arena of dialogue.
It is still unclear what effect the new government’s policy toward North Korea will have.
However, one thing seems clear.
As you can see from the expression ‘the denuclearization of North Korea’, the Yun Seok-yeol administration’s policy toward North Korea will become clearer and tougher.
