05/28/2010
Lecture of Kim Young C. at Hanyang University
On May 25th, 2010 the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty organized a special lecture with Prof. Kim Young C. on campus of Hanyang University in Seoul. Prof Kim, Professor emeritus of George Washington University, is one of the most distinctive experts on North Korea, also advising the US administration, and currently lecturing as visiting Professor at the prestigious Japanese Keido University.
Ever since the sinking of the “Cheonan” in March 2010 Korean students are very much alert in regards to the most recent threats to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Almost 200 young politically interested scientists therefore attended the timely lecture of Prof. Kim on “Dealing with North Korea: Options and Perspectives”.
After identifying those factors effecting US-policies towards North Korea, Kim pointed out three possible options of US policies. First, a policy of engagement backed by solid sanctions, second, a creative appeasement-policy that offers incentives to the North and finally, a policy of risk-management that takes a “wait and see” approach and delays final decisions to a later and more favourable point in time.
The stakes are high and all sides have a strong interest in deescalating the volatile situation in Korea. The South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak, in his address to the nation demanded that North Korea would immediately apologize and punish “those responsible” for the attack. The White House called the sinking an "act of aggression" but avoiding calling the attack an “act of war”. “It seems obvious that everybody is willing to offer an exit door for the leadership in Pyongyang”, the representative of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Seoul stated. In the future “a broader approach” focusing on economic development, the common fight against international terrorism and a multilateral control over the nuclear fuel cycle is needed. In this context it might be worth considering if a rotating chair of a multilateral forum like the Six Party-Talks could contribute to effectiveness and acceptance of the council.
