Trump's DMZ Crossing: Just a Photo-op or Opportunity for Progress?

Photo 1: On June 30, 2019, Trump crosses the raised concrete strip representing the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) that divides Korea at Panmunjum (the Joint Security Area in the DMZ/Demilitarized Zone), becoming the first sitting US president to step foot on North Korea.

Photo 2: Kim Jong-un crosses the same line into South Korea (accompanied by South Korea's Moon Jae-in), becoming the first North Korean leader to do so, in April 2018.

Photo 3: South Korean college student Im Soo-kyung (who went to North Korea to participate in the World Youth Festival) crosses the line, at the same location, into South Korea in 1989, becoming the first Korean civilian to willfully cross that line (and not by accident, defection or espionage) since the Korean War ended in an armistice and the creation of the MDL/DMZ in 1953.

Symbolism matters in the DMZ, like the Berlin Wall. That concrete line in the DMZ, a highly recognizable -- and painful to all Koreans -- symbol of prolonged Korean division and the last vestige of the Cold War, is now casually crossed over -- by government/military officials and civilians on inter-Korean meetings or exchanges.

And history was made this past Sunday as Trump crossed the line, symbolically as a "peacemaker" (whatever his motivation may have been) in a business suit and not wearing the usual military attire that US presidents had done when visiting the southern side of the DMZ in the past. [Trump's overall antics aside, his unprecedented summits with Kim and this DMZ crossing showed a way besides the business-as-usual approach.]

But that casual crossing has not been the case always. In 1989, Im Soo-kyung (accompanied by Father Moon Kyu-hyun) risked long imprisonment in South Korea for crossing that line (she received five-year sentence for violating South Korea's draconian and archaic National Security Law), in a brave and unprecedented action to help bring about a breakthrough for peace and reunification of Korea.

With persistent efforts and sacrifices of many civilian activists like Im, the once-impenetrable wall dividing Korea began to crack and led to a series of inter-Korean rapprochement and cooperation towards negotiated settlement for peace in Korea.

Now, the US and North Korea must transcend historical hostilities and animosities (and skepticism of cynics) and translate this historical moment into real progress towards negotiating a lasting peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula.

New Documentary: Korea -- The Never-Ending War

This is the most comprehensive and insightful film documentary on the Korean War, covering its origins and its aftermath, with focus not only on the historical and geopolitical perspectives, but on its impact on ordinary civilians (refugees, separated families, the No Gun Ri Incident of massacre of civilians by US soldiers), and the legacy of the “unending war” on current tensions in the peninsula, including the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program.

From Pyongyang and Washington to Hanoi

The second US-NK summit is taking place -- of all places in the world -- Hanoi, Vietnam, where the US intervened and fought a brutal war, made peace, and then normalized relations. The US fought in Korea too, more than six decades ago, but never made peace with North Korea.

We now have a rare window of opportunity to move forward with a peace settlement in Korea and new relations. A cliche it may be, but let's "Give Peace a Chance."

(Photo courtesy of Nobel Women's Iniative which sent a delegation to Hanoi in support of peace settlement in Korea.)

Inter-Korean Rapprochement Advances with Third Moon-Kim Summit

Great progress towards (officially and mutually) ending the Korean War and a viable peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula has been achieved with the third inter-Korean summit between President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Wide-ranging inter-Korean cooperation in military, economic, cultural/sports, and humanitarian affairs are in the works. Hopefully these developments will foster quicker Washington-Pyongyang and Tokyo-Pyongyang rapprochements. 

Pyongyang Joint Declaration of September 19, 2018  [Full Text]

Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea and Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea held the Inter-Korean Summit Meeting in Pyongyang on September 18-20, 2018.

The two leaders assessed the excellent progress made since the adoption of the historic Panmunjeom Declaration, such as the close dialogue and communication between the authorities of the two sides, civilian exchanges and cooperation in many areas, and epochal measures to defuse military tension.

The two leaders reaffirmed the principle of independence and self-determination of the Korean nation, and agreed to consistently and continuously develop inter-Korean relations for national reconciliation and cooperation, and firm peace and co-prosperity, and to make efforts to realize through policy measures the aspiration and hope of all Koreans that the current developments in inter-Korean relations will lead to reunification.

The two leaders held frank and in-depth discussions on various issues and practical steps to advance inter-Korean relations to a new and higher dimension by thoroughly implementing the Panmunjeom Declaration, shared the view that the Pyongyang Summit will be an important historic milestone, and declared as follows.

1. The two sides agreed to expand the cessation of military hostility in regions of confrontation such as the DMZ into the substantial removal of the danger of war across the entire Korean Peninsula and a fundamental resolution of the hostile relations.

① The two sides agreed to adopt the "Agreement on the Implementation of the Historic Panmunjeom Declaration in the Military Domain" as an annex to the Pyongyang Declaration, and to thoroughly abide by and faithfully implement it, and to actively take practical measures to transform the Korean Peninsula into a land of permanent peace.

② The two sides agreed to engage in constant communication and close consultations to review the implementation of the Agreement and prevent accidental military clashes by promptly activating the Inter-Korean Joint Military Committee.

2. The two sides agreed to pursue substantial measures to further advance exchanges and cooperation based on the spirit of mutual benefit and shared prosperity, and to develop the nation's economy in a balanced manner.

① The two sides agreed to hold a ground-breaking ceremony within this year for the east-coast and west-coast rail and road connections.

② The two sides agreed, as conditions ripe, to first normalize the Gaeseong industrial complex and the Mt. Geumgang Tourism Project, and to discuss the issue of forming a west coast joint special economic zone and an east coast joint special tourism zone.

③ The two sides agreed to actively promote south-north environment cooperation so as to protect and restore the natural ecology, and as a first step to endeavor to achieve substantial results in the currently on-going forestry cooperation.

④ The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of prevention of epidemics, public health and medical care, including emergency measures to prevent the entry and spread of contagious diseases.

3. The two sides agreed to strengthen humanitarian cooperation to fundamentally resolve the issue of separated families.

① The two sides agreed to open a permanent facility for family reunion meetings in the Mt. Geumgang area at an early date, and to promptly restore the facility toward this end.

② The two sides agreed to resolve the issue of video meetings and exchange of video messages among the separated families as a matter of priority through the inter-Korean Red Cross talks.

4. The two sides agreed to actively promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields so as to enhance the atmosphere of reconciliation and unity and to demonstrate the spirit of the Korean nation both internally and externally.

① The two sides agreed to further promote cultural and artistic exchanges, and to first conduct a performance of the Pyongyang Art Troupe in Seoul in October this year.

② The two sides agreed to actively participate together in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and other international games, and to cooperate in bidding for the joint hosting of the 2032 Summer Olympic Games.

③ The two sides agreed to hold meaningful events to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the October 4 Declaration, to jointly commemorate the 100th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement Day, and to hold working-level consultations toward this end.

5. The two sides shared the view that the Korean Peninsula must be turned into a land of peace free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threats, and that substantial progress toward this end must be made in a prompt manner.

① First, the North will permanently dismantle the Dongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch platform under the observation of experts from relevant countries.

② The North expressed its willingness to continue to take additional measures, such as the permanent dismantlement of the nuclear facilities in Yeongbyeon, as the United States takes corresponding measures in accordance with the spirit of the June 12 US-DPRK Joint Statement.

③ The two sides agreed to cooperate closely in the process of pursuing complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

6. Chairman Kim Jong-un agreed to visit Seoul at an early date at the invitation of President Moon Jae-in.

Spring Thaw in the Korean Peninsula

Spring thaw brings a flurry of activities in the Korean Peninsula -- South Korean musicians and tae kwon do athletes performed in Pyongyang in good will cultural exchanges in the midst of renewed inter-Korean rapprochement, while Kim Jong-un chats with South Korea's K-Pop stars and explores further summit with Russia and Japan, all while the US-South Korea military exercises are taking place in and around South Korea. The third inter-Korean summit is taking place on April 27, followed by first-ever US-DPRK summit in May. Hope a lasting peace and security for all will come out of all these developments.

Korea News Analysis Featured on Democracy Now!

PBS news program Democracy Now! (hosted by Amy Goodman) featured, on March 13,  extensive coverage and interviews on developments in South Korea and tensions with North Korea. Guests were activist Christine Ahn and well-known Korea scholar Prof. Bruce Cummings. See videos (above) or transcripts (part 1, part 2).

"Engaging North Korea: US Policies to Improve Bilateral Relations"

Engaging North Korea: US Policies to Improve Bilateral Relations


Sponsored by Korea Peace Network and Partnerships for International Strategies in Asia (PISA)
Thursday, June 23, 2016, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

The Elliott School of International Affairs, GWU, Washington, DC


Tensions between the U.S. and North Korea have arguably reached historic highs in the first few months of 2016. Relations between the two countries appear deadlocked following North Korea´s nuclear test in January, the largest ever U.S.-South Korea military exercises, several North Korean rocket launches, US-led sanction efforts, vicious rhetoric and more. Further, the Obama Administration´s policy of ´strategic patience´ has not yielded diplomatic progress and both official and back-channel dialogue have reportedly ceased.


Yet, despite the impasse between the two countries, there remain an array of policy options to help de-escalate tensions, increase understanding, build trust, and ultimately pave the way for a peacebuilding process. Join the Korea Peace Network and GWU´s Partnership for International Strategies in Asia as we explore a menu of policy options to build a more peaceful Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia. The all-day event featured discussions with academics, policy analysts, U.S. government officials, practitioners from across the foreign policy spectrum, and more.


9:30-10:45 Panel I
The Korea Exception to the Mine Ban Treaty & Obama´s Last Days in Office
11:00-12:30 Panel II
Remembering the Forgotten: Retrieving the Remains of US Veterans Left in North Korea
1:30-3:00 Panel III
Communication Breakdown: People-to-people Exchanges & Building Understanding
3:30-6:00 Film Screening and remarks on Divided Families
Film: "People are the Sky" - Dai Sil Kim-Gibson

Filmmaker Dai Sil Kim-Gibson's New Documentary on North Korea

“People are the Sky” director on documenting meanings of home, family

               

In the documentary “People are the Sky”, filmmaker and writer Dai Sil Kim-Gibson returns to her birthplace in North Korea after the death of her Iowa-born husband Don. Kim-Gibson, with the goal of discovering what home truly means, finds a country where people live in peace and harmony. READ MORE

Tourism in North Korea

[From KoreAm, by Mark Edward Harris]

Several years ago, Andrea Lee traded a desk job as a corporate attorney in New York City to head Uri Tours, a New Jersey-based travel company founded by her family a decade ago, which organizes tours to North Korea. As its CEO and occasional tour leader, the 33-year-old Lee helps curious individuals see what life is like north of the 38th parallel on the divided Korean peninsula.

Although widely perceived as a sealed-off nation closed to foreign tourists, North Korea permits group and even private travel by citizens of any country other than South Korea who book through a tourism partner-provider. While the U.S. Department of State strongly recommends against travel by U.S. citizens to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as the country is officially known, there appears to be no adverse impact on Uri’s business. READ MORE

The Status of Microbrews ... in North Korea

Some travelers look for local beer in new locales, but this featured beer enthusiast went out his way to tailor his visit to North Korea with the sole purpose of visiting microbreweries and tasting beer there. He likens the taste of North Korean beer to American microbrew Anchor Steam.  South and North Korea compete in many fronts, but this informed traveler and microbrew aficionado concludes that North Korean beers taste better than the ones in the South. Perhaps South Korea does better in the soju arena.

Dennis Rodman in Pyongyang

Who would have thought -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un laughing side-by-side with Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls fame, at a friendly basketball match in Pyongyang. Rodman is travelling in North Korea with members of the Harlem Globetrotters and a US cable news team. And one of the first tweets coming out of North Korea now that North Korean authorities have allowed the use of smartphones by foreigners, with internet access:  "Um ... so Kim Jong Un just got the [cable news team] crew wasted ... no really, that happened" came out of the reception given by Kim to American visitors.  Fun respites amidst war games and counter threats between the U.S. and North Korea -- sort of reminds of the song by the group War, "Why Can't We Be Friends?"

Google's Top Man in Pyongyang

Of all the unusual and unexpected foreign visitors to North Korea, Google's executive chairman and tech guru Eric Schmidt's visit this week to Pyongyang has raised a plenty of questions. Though this is not portrayed as a Google company trip, the very presence of high-profile Schmidt (and his interest and willingness to personally visit North Korea) highlights the growth and potentials of cyber technology in North Korea. 

Schmidt is accompaying veteran diplomat and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, on a humanitarian trip.  The trip clearly perturbed the U.S. State Department, which maintains a rigid policy of isolating North Korea as punishments for long-range missile/rocket testings. But there are also benefits to this kind of civilian-initiated diplomacy as wider contacts with North Korea will likely bring new avenues and opportunities of mutual cooperation and a path of understanding towards resolutions of contending political and military issues.

North Korea After Kim Jong Il

Wild speculations and conjectures abound in the international circles in the aftermath of the death of Chairman Kim Jong Il of North Korea, whereas the transition of power to Kim Jong Un seems to be playing out without any incident. During upcoming uncertainties of the situation, all parties concerned should support a development conducive to fostering peace and reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula.
See alternative analyses: Korea Policy Institute article, interview on Democracy Now!

Playing Frisbee in North Korea

Frisbee, that quintessential American plaything, spotted in Pyongyang -- with North Koreans playing with foreigners? And amateur golf tournament in North Korea? Are these signs that North Korea is opening up more to the outside world?

Calls for Resumption of Food Aid to North Korea

As the food situation in North Korea worsens, there are calls for resumption of US food aid to North Korea. Here is an appeal from the National Association of Korean Americans:

"As you may know from the recent report by several UN agencies on the food situation in North Korea, the condition is very dire and needs the world´s prompt attention in order to alleviate a mass-scale famine that will severely impact the vulnerable populations of children, pregnant mothers, the sick, and the elderly. The South Korean government, in a reversal of policy, has approved the resumption of civilian humanitarian aid to North Korea. We understand that, under the current political situation, there is a reluctance to approve the resumption of U.S. government´s food aid to North Korea. But, upon a formulation of a new agreement on monitoring and transparency, and a settlement of the past dispute on the U.S. food aid delivery, U.S. food aid to North Korea can and should resume at this critical juncture. Such an expression of good will and humanitarian assistance may foster resolutions of contentious issues between the two countries as well. We urge you to support the resumption of U.S. food aid to North Korea."

North Korean Delegation in the U.S. to Learn Market System

An unusual North Korean delegation is visiting the U.S. -- an economic delegation to learn about Western market system. They landed in San Diego on an invitation from the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California, San Diego, and will also visit New York City. It remains to be seen how the delegation will impact North Korea's economic planning or policies, but this shows that -- despite all the harsh rhetorics between North Korea and the U.S. -- that there are also channels of exchange and opportunities for interaction. Perhaps North Koreans and American hosts can wrap up the meetings with North Korean beer, which is now available in the U.S. with approval from the U.S. Treasury. (Photo: Korea Daily News)

Bill Richardson (and Wolf Blitzer) in Pyongyang

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is in Pyongyang for talks with North Korean officials. Richardson is in good terms with North Koreans, so the discussions, though unofficial, will help in finding steps to reduce current tensions on the peninsula. News anchorman Wolf Blitzer of CNN-TV is also in the delegation, bringing a high-profile coverage to Pyongyang.

Glimpse of Daily Lives of Ordinary North Koreans

While other Western reporters mainly covered the military parade earlier this month during the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the North Korean Workers Party, reinforcing one-dimensional, stereotypical image of North Korea, Seoul-based Korean AP reporter and photographer were able to see daily lives of ordinary citizens of Pyongyang enjoying outdoors, having fun.

English Women's Soccer Team Tours North Korea

While North Korea is portrayed as isolatd from the West, an English women's soccer team is touring North Korea as part of sports and cultural exchange.

Middlesbrough Football Club (MFC) women's team (photo: manager Marrie Wieczorek) has been invited by the British Embassy in Pyongyang in recognition of the strong bonds Middlesbrough has shared with North Korea since the 1966 World Cup in England when the townsfolks became fans of the North Korean team during the team's remarkable feat at the games. The 1966 North Korean team paid a return visit to Middlesbrough in October 2002.

Nick Bonner, who made a documentary The Game of their Lives about the 1966 World Cup team with his business partner Dan Gordon, and who helped arrange the women team's visit to North Korea, said: “There is no doubt about it that [North Koreans] came to England in 1966 as the enemy, as many English people had fought in the Korean War, but the people of [Middlesbrough] adopted them as their team and they have never forgotten that.”

Such people-to-people exchanges can help bring reconciliation between former enemies.

Questions Raised on the Cheonan Incident Report

The Lee Myung-bak government of South Korea has released its official report on the Cheonan ship sinking incident, concluding that a North Korean torpoedo sank the ship. Unlike in similar situations of the past, not all South Koreans are believing the government's findings wholeheartedly, as they point out to many unanswered loose ends. See also a video highlighting the questions and doubts.

For one --they say-- is it plausible to believe that a single torpedo from a small North Korean submarine, operating in heavily-monitored South Korean waters, sink a large warship cleanly in half in one single shot, with such high precision, and escape undetected? Moreover, the sinking occurred in the area where South Korean and US navies were enagaged in a joint military exercise, which must have raised surveilllance and monitoring activities at the time. Why did South Korea announce at first that it detected no North Korean submarine movements around Cheonan at the time of the sinking? Has North Korean navy perfected a stealth technology and a precision attack method unknown to the US and South Korean forces?

The evidence presented by the investigative team was a torpedo component with a number and Korean marking inside (photo above). Some observers say that this is incredulous since the magic marker writing seems so pristine compared to the rusty condition of the torpedo part, that one is tempted to say that the marking may have been forged after the recovery of the part (which may have been an old junk part debris that may have been floating in the area).

The timing of the release of the report is a suspect too -- just two weeks before crucial local and regional elections in South Korea that will impact the ruling party's standings for the next presidential election. Often times in the past, incidents involving North Korea were exposed immediately prior to important elections, in order to favor "security-minded" pro-government candidates.

North Korea has denied any involvement in this incident and has warned of war if there is a retaliation, but in an unprecedented twist, it has offered to send its own investigative team to look at the evidences provided by South Korea. It would be interesting how Lee Myung-bak handles this.

There is no doubt about the severity of this incident and its aftermath. All parties concerned must exercise restraint and wise judgment as not to escalate the situation to a "point of no return."