Lee In-young: "'Korean Peninsula CTR' Plan Could Provide North Korea with Incentives and Momentum for Negotiations"

Minister of Unification Lee In-young is delivering a congratulatory speech at the "Symposium on Inter-Korean Cooperation Measures for Carbon Neutrality on the Korean Peninsula" held on the 8th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Minister of Unification Lee In-young has presented the prospect that the 'Korean Peninsula version of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR)' initiative could provide North Korea with incentives and momentum for negotiations.

In a keynote speech at the Korea-US international conference webinar on North Korean nuclear CTR cooperation on the 15th, Minister Lee stated, "Efforts to seek creative and fundamental solutions encompassing the process and outcome of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula have become very important."

CTR is a program from the 1990s in which former Soviet states exchanged their inherited nuclear weapons for economic support, and it is well known as a successful case of nuclear dismantlement.

Minister Lee said, "Denuclearization of the former Soviet Union and that of the Korean Peninsula differ in geopolitical and temporal contexts as well as the interests of related countries, so it is difficult to simply compare and apply them," but added, "At this point, referring to the implications of past CTR cases for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue and conceptualizing a 'Korean Peninsula version of CTR' is a useful approach in several respects."

He further stated, "From North Korea's perspective, there would be high expectations for concrete reciprocal measures such as the phased lifting of sanctions, a peace agreement, and normalization of North Korea-US relations in line with progress in denuclearization," and "A CTR-like approach could provide North Korea with incentives and momentum for negotiations."

He added, "The implication of CTR is significant in terms of establishing institutional mechanisms to support the denuclearization process," and "Since the Panmunjom Declaration and the North Korea-US Singapore Joint Statement exist between South and North Korea and between North Korea and the US, respectively, based on these, future negotiations can institutionally support concrete agreements and implementation methods."

Quoting President Nelson Mandela's words that "sometimes a generation must be responsible for achieving great things," Minister Lee emphasized, "Now, as we must overcome the most important hurdle for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, it is time for South and North Korea, the US, and the international community to fulfill their 'responsibility for peace.'"

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