The Denuclearization and Peace-building on the Korean Peninsula and the Second U.S.-North Korea Summit in Vietnam

The second summit between the United States President Donald Trump and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Chairman Kim Jong Un has been scheduled to take place February 27-28, 2019 in Hanoi, Vietnam. We, Korean Americans and KAPAC members, firmly believe that a successful summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim will not only contribute to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but also constitute an excellent stepping stone for peace and prosperity for the US, ROK, DPRK, and the world.

At the first summit in June 2018 in Singapore, President Trump and Chairman Kim agreed to “establish new U.S.-DPRK relations, “join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula,” and “work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” Despite some criticism, the historic summit replaced the belligerence of the past with a flurry of diplomatic activities. As a consequence, no nuclear test has been conducted since September, 2017, and no ICBM has been launched since November, 2017.

In Hanoi, we hope President Trump and Chairman Kim will continue to build peace and achieve disarmament in the Korean Peninsula. Because the final, fully verified denuclearization (FFVD) may only be achieved by a long and phased process, a negotiated settlement through sustained diplomacy, reciprocity, and real peacebuilding are the only viable option for success. The upcoming summit is another significant opportunity for advancing peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and the world.

At the upcoming summit, we also hope President Trump and Chairman Kim reach an agreement on the roadmap for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a formal declaration of the end of the Korean War, partial easing of economic sanctions against North Korea in exchange for North Korea’s concrete steps for denuclearization, and the establishment of the liaison offices for the diplomatic normalization between the two countries. We believe that the denuclearization and the peace regime of the Korean Peninsula should be achieved simultaneously, for they are two sides of a coin.

Based on the value of a solid U.S.-ROK alliance, we, Korean Americans, and KAPAC members, will do our best to achieve a complete denuclearization and a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

P.S. This is a briefing note prepared for Congressman Andy Kim (D-NY).

Five Myths about the Singapore U.S.-North Korea Summit Meeting

In the mass media, there are too many misconceptions about the U.S.-DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or North Korea) Summit held on June 12 between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un in Singapore. What emerge are five myths about the summit, stemming from their inability to understand the summit’s significance fully.

The first myth is that the summit failed. But regarding the ultimate goals of denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, it is too early to tell. We are at the early stages of negotiations. Given the drumbeats of war in 2017, however, the summit is a success in diffusing tensions and initiating a new era of détente. Remember, the United States and North Korea have maintained mutual hostility for about 70 years and have been technically at war.

Some also argue that the summit failed because CVID (complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization) is missing in the joint statement. However, as many experts point out, CVID undermines the sovereignty of North Korea. Their acceptance of CVID would be equivalent to an unconditional surrender, potentially making any denuclearization deal almost impossible. Success in any disarmament negotiations will require compromise and creativity.

The second myth is that North Korea has not yielded, whereas the United States has made too many concessions. But North Korea has already made many concessions. It promised "a complete denuclearization" to the United States, destroyed the Poongyeri nuclear test site, suspended nuclear and missile tests, released three imprisoned US citizens, and began the process of repatriating of the remains of the US soldiers killed during the Korean War. Meeting with Kim Jong Un is not about legitimating him or giving away the store but about building mutual trust for the hard work of building peace and denuclearization.

The third myth is that North Korea is an unreliable negotiating partner. The critics point to failures with past agreements. But a strong case can be made that both the U.S. and North Korea were responsible for the past failures. North Korea dithered and suspended cooperation. With the 1994 Agreed Framework, however, the United States failed to fulfill its pledge to build two light-water reactors and supply heavy oil on schedule. With the 2005 September 19 Joint Statement, the U.S. made additional demands related to special inspections and verification not in the original agreement.

The fourth myth is that the summit should have raised the issue of human rights in North Korea. It is possible to raise human rights issues, but we cannot solve all the problems of North Korea through one negotiation. The critical agenda today is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Besides, we must also recognize that peace and security are vital human rights on their own. With peace, human rights in North Korea will improve.

The fifth myth is that the declaration of Trump's suspension of US-ROK military exercises weakens the US-ROK alliance. But the suspension is the product of U.S.-ROK cooperation: South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked the United States to postpone the scheduled joint military exercises during the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, and the United States agreed. These paved the way to first the inter-Korean Summit and then the U.S.-DPRK Summit. By no means does it have to mean the weakening or destruction of the U.S.-ROK alliance. Rather, it can help make the ROK - US alliance stronger.

Taking all these into consideration, we must note that the Singapore U.S.-DPRK Summit is a historic breakthrough for the denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. A peaceful and prosperous Korea will undoubtedly improve U.S. security and increase world peace. Thus, no matter how much you hate Trump or disagree with his other policies, it is time for us to unite at least in supporting his peace initiative in Korea.

The KAPAC Statement for The Korean Peninsula Peace Process

The Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC) actively supports the U.S.-North Korea Joint Statement signed at the Singapore U.S.-DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) Summit on June 12th between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un. We welcome the prospect of ending over 70 years of antagonism between the U.S. and North Korea. We firmly believe that this is the start of a new era of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

The South and North Korean peace initiatives over the PyeongChang Winter Olympics led to the historic April 27 Inter-Korean Summit between ROK (Republic of Korea) and DPRK, producing the Panmunjom Declaration in which the two Koreas declared that there would be no more war on the Korean Peninsula. The United States and President Donald Trump generously welcomed and embraced this initiative by meeting with Chairman Kim Jong Un at the Singapore Summit. Through the June 12th Joint Statement, the U.S. and North Korea promised to work together to promote peace, prosperity, and security.

We support President Moon Jae-in's commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula. We support Chairman Kim Jong Un’s will to improve inter-Korean and U.S.-DPRK relations. And we support President Donald Trump’s determination to achieve the peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy. Their concerted efforts will create a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula as well as in Northeast Asia, adding to world peace and prosperity.

The Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC) welcomes and supports the three leaders in this critical endeavor. We urge them to promptly implement the agreements to ensure and realize the vital goals. In this, we hope that the declaration of the end of the Korean War and the signing of a peace treaty take place as early as possible to lay the foundation for the subsequent building of a sustainable peace regime.

Finally, we also urge the South Korean National Assembly and the United States Congress to welcome and support such efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the world in a bipartisan way. All KAPAC members, along with 2.5 million Korean Americans, support our leaders in achieving peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

July 7, 2018, Korean American Public Action Committee

We welcome and support the U.S.-North Korea Summit

We, the Korean-American Public Action Committee (KAPAC), the Korean-American Federation of Los Angeles, and the Korean-American Association of Greater New York, welcome and endorse the U.S.-North Korea summit in May.

Over the recent decades, the increasing tension on the Korean peninsula has caused us to fear the possibility of a nuclear war, not only involving North Korea and the US, but also involving the world. The agreement between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un to hold a summit in May, assisted by the bridge-building role played by President Moon Jae-in, is a tremendous opportunity for positively accomplishing peace and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

A successful summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim will not only accomplish peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula but constitute an excellent stepping stone for peace and prosperity, not only for Northeast Asia but also for the US and the world. We also applaud South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has made this possible on the basis of a strong U.S.-ROK alliance, and President Donald Trump, who has shown outstanding leadership.

On behalf of all Korean-Americans in this great country of ours, the United States, KAPAC, KAFLA, and KAAGNY welcome and support the bold and wise decisions by Chairman Kim Jong Un and President Trump to hold the U.S.-North Korean summit. We call forth all Koreans and Korean-Americans, our fellow U.S. citizens and residents, our U.S. government and civic leaders, and the citizens of the global community to welcome and support the upcoming historical U.S.-North Korea summit.

Thank you.

March 19, 2018

The Korean-American Public Action Committee (KAPAC), The Korean-American Federation of Los Angeles, and The Korean-American Association of Greater New York

P.S. This statement has been published on News M.