The overseas municipal chapters’ conference of the US region of the 16th NUAC was held last Apr. 28 at Seoul Walker Hill Hotel with 735 overseas members in attendance. Hyeon Kyeong-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of NUAC, said that North Korea is preparing for a nuclear test while all South Koreans are in deep sorrow due to the tragedy of the Sewol ferry disaster. “We should defend our security, dialogue to dialogue, and ruthless punishment to provocation," he stressed.
He mentioned the worries at home and abroad due to the recent provocation by North Korea. He likened the recent military provocation and threat of the 4th nuclear test by Pyeongyang to the relapse of a chronic disease. "We should respond strongly to their provocation based on the principle and consistency of President Park's government," he said.
Hyun cited as an example the strong will of the Korea-US cooperation expressed and agreed to by Presidents Obama and Park when the US president visited Korea last April 25. "The bad practice of North Korean provocation will be nullified after all, as long as the powerful cooperation between the two allies continues. I wish the council members in the US perform their roles of bridging the Korea-US alliance more positively and diligently," he added.
According to Hyeon, the unification of the Korean peninsula should not be merely simple reunification but should be a "new unification" that can benefit the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia as well as the world. The unification bonanza is not a dream but the imminent future before us, and we should pay attention to the unlimited economic and international position that a unified Korea can bring, he said. He explained the terrible reality of human rights in North Korea, quoting Reports on the Human Rights in North Korea as announced by the UN Human Rights Committee.
He continued, "The human rights reality of North Korea is so serious and incredible that a small country in Africa like Botswana severed diplomatic ties with North Korea. Under the current situation wherein a country in Africa far away from North Korea has shown interest in the human rights in North Korea and taken diplomatic measures against Pyeongyang, our efforts to solve the issue as one belonging to the same tribe as North Koreans is a matter of human conscience."
Hyeon mentioned three things to achieve national unification: preparation and earnest wish of the people for unification, intention of the surrounding countries with regard to the unified Korean peninsula, and finally the choice of North Korean people. "We expect a unified Korean peninsula to make great contributions to world peace,in addition to the status of Korea as one of the world economic powers," he said.
Kim Gi-cheol, Vice-chairperson of the US Assembly,remembered the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster and their bereaved families in his opening speech and wished for the safe return of those who are still missing. "We intended to postpone and cancel this conference because of the Sewol ferry disaster, but we realized that NUAC should fulfillthe responsibilities and mission given to it at this time when North Korea continues its military provocation against South Korea,” he explained.
According to Park Chan-bong, Secretary General,the 16th NUAC is required to implement its goals successfully to achieve peaceful unification for the happiness of 80 million people of Korea.
Park suggested “concentration of national ability for unification,”“grand integration of the people,”“support for North Korean refugees,”“fostering the future generation of unification,” and “reinforcing cooperation with international societies.” He also mentioned “passing the bill to write the name of East Sea together with Sea of Japan in elementary school textbooks, suggesting the importance of building the cooperation groundsin international societies through private diplomacy.
Cho Tae-yeol, second deputy foreign minister of Korea, emphasized that diplomatic normalization with the neighboring country and expanding support for the unification of the Korean peninsula are important subjects of his Ministry.
According to him, we should take note of the current situation of the Korean peninsula issue to achieve unification of the peninsula. "We are now standing on a historical turning point of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia. Simultaneous and multiple changes of international situations are a third crisis but also an opportunity. To turn the crisis into an opportunity, high-level cooperation should be drawn through reliable diplomacy, building trust infrastructure,” he stressed.
Deputy Minister Cho added that trust is an asset for cooperation and a basic requirement to realize sustainable peace. We need to build up trust from a minor issue, overcoming the phenomenon of insufficient trust as absolutely required to develop the trust building process in the Korean peninsula, he said.
Second Deputy Minister Cho continued, "A strong foundation is essential to build a house of trust between South and North. On the other hand, the foundation of “keeping peace” should be secured against any provocation with firm national security of restraint and pressure. When reciprocal cooperation based on trust infrastructure is promoted, and a column of 'making peace' is erected, the peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula will be possible."
He emphasized the necessity of building discussion or negotiation mechanism in phases in establishing diplomatic relations including the inter-Korean relations. According to him, the balanced policy of being strong when strong, being flexible when flexible is a “concept of evolution” to implement the national policy of national unification gradually.
Finally, he said, "All periods are given their missions. To complete our mission at this point of history, we should pile up the ground of unification relying on three axes of ‘restraint against provocation by North Korea based on close international cooperation,' ‘establishing domestic and foreign environments to induce changes of North Korea,' and ‘expanding the international foundation of support for the unification of the Korean peninsula'.”
He ended his speech with a quote: "Those who fail to prepare for the future prepare for failure." He emphasized the historical sense of responsibility to prepare for national unification.
