By Kim Eun-young and Kim Young Shin

The Korea Global Forum 2017 was held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on Oct. 17, under the theme this year of “New paths to peace on the Korean Peninsula through international cooperation.” This year, experts on the Korean Peninsula and on the relationship between the North and South from six countries, including Cho Myoung-Gyon, the minister of unification, Ian Anthony, the director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, and Rexon Ryu, a senior adviser at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“Based on strong national security and close international cooperation, we will be able to solve North Korean nuclear weapons issues,” said Minister Cho in his keynote address. “We will lead North Korea to denuclearization talks using all possible peaceful means, while stably managing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”

Cho said, “For peace on the Korean Peninsula and across the international community, North Korea’s nuclear weapons must be discarded. The Korean government stands on firm ground on this issue, and this is also the consensus of the international community.”

“Our administration will try to resolve the roots of these security threats on the Korean Peninsula and across Northeast Asia, by solving the North Korean nuclear weapons issues step-by-step through communication and negotiation, and therefore bring permanent peace to the regime,” Cho said. “If North Korea chooses the right path, we and the international community will provide a bright future for the North.”

“The Korean government is the world’s only administration of a divided nation and it has the constitutional duty to bring about a peaceful reunification, for sustainable development and for the wellbeing of future generations. Based on this spirit of mutual respect, upon which the North and the South have already agreed, we will restore the relationship between the two Koreas, end the tragedy of national division and establish the foundation for peaceful reunification,” said Cho.

eykim86@korea.kr