The Views of the Korean Civil Society on the Occasion of the ROK-US Summit Meeting


A summit meeting of the presidents of the Republic of Korea and the United States of America is scheduled to be held on June 11, 2005 (Korean time), focusing mainly on the topics of the "North Korean Nuclear Weapons Development Program" and the "ROK-US alliance". The upcoming summit meeting, dealing with various issues having a direct impact on the destiny of the Korean people, is taking place when the situation of the Korean peninsula is entering a dangerous and complicated phase. The summit meeting, therefore, could be perceived as having major influence on the future situation of the Korean peninsula and the surrounding region.

Given the importance of the approaching summit meeting, which is being held amidst extraordinary interest and concern, we in the civil society groups, who have in various ways devoted our efforts to the realization of self-reliance, peace, and national reunification, are moved to declare our views on the occasion of the ROK-US summit meeting. 


The Korean peninsula nuclear issue must be resolved peacefully through dialogue and negotiations. We oppose sanctions against North Korea and the use of military force.



As the tension over the nuclear issue intensifies, while it is expected that the 6-party talks will restart, there is on the other hand a growing sense of deepening crisis. The Bush administration, after declaring through the New York channel that it holds "North Korea as a sovereign nation" and that "the US has no intention of undertaking a military attack on North Korea", is reportedly waiting for Pyongyang's response. Yet at the same time the US is clearly stepping up its hostile policies towards North Korea and aggressive military maneuvers. Such behavior makes other parties, interested directly or indirectly, more suspicious of the US government's intentions.

The Bush administration has recently developed a precision strike scenario against North Korea, named CONPLAN 8022, which includes an option to resort to the use of nuclear weapons. It has also pressed the government of the Republic of Korea to develop operation plan 5029 which sets out the possibility of a military campaign against North Korea in case of a sudden outbreak of instability in North Korea. The Bush administration has stepped up the forward stationing of B-2 and B-52 fighter-bombers in Guam, and stockpiled F-117 Stealth planes, which would be entrusted with the bombing of strategic positions in North Korea housing the North Korean government leaders, in case hostilities break out on the Korean peninsula. Furthermore, the highest-ranking leaders of the US government, including President Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney have, with only a few days left to the scheduled summit meeting, taken direct actions that can only be interpreted as being aimed at provoking and threatening North Korea.

If the Bush administration is genuinely interested in resolving the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, it should end the hostile policies toward North Korea, including the plan of preemptive nuclear attack, which have been the key obstacles to the peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear weapons issue, and begin a process of substantial negotiations with North Korea. North Korea itself must, in order to bring about a peaceful resolution of the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, endeavor to avoid aggravating the situation, and commit itself to the framework of dialogue.

President Roh Moo-hyun must recognize that his role in this situation is more important than ever before. In his meeting with President Bush at the upcoming summit, President Roh must articulate a stance categorically opposing any further sanctions against North Korea. He must also rule out the development of operational military strike plans, the positioning of weapons, and the training of troops on the Korean peninsula which would be involved in a preemptive attack on North Korea. President Roh, in a recent statement, emphasized that "war must be prevented at all costs". President Roh must clearly inform the US of the views of the Korean people opposing America's hostile policies toward North Korea. He must have a grave sense of responsibility concerning the issue that would determine the destiny of the nation and the people.

The government-level talks between South and North Korea are being resumed after a long delay, and there will be a special celebration of the fifth anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration. In this context, in the run-up to the summit meeting, we note that there is a growing anticipation that the US, in the name of "balance", will make stronger demands that the South Korean government step up its commitment to pressure North Korea and impose sanctions against the North. 

We warn the Bush administration that it will be faced with the resistance of the entire Korean population, if it turns out that the upcoming summit meeting was intended to undermine the development of inter-Korean relations. President Roh must make clear to the US that the improvement of South-North Korea relations contributes to the realization of peace on the Korean peninsula and the peaceful resolution of the nuclear issues, and that the US must not attempt to interfere with this process. 


We oppose categorically the "strategic flexibility" of the US troops in South Korea and the transformation of the ROK-US alliance into a regional alliance, which would only intensify the military tension and conflict on the Korean peninsula and throughout the NE Asian region.



The Bush administration, in pursuing "strategic flexibility" for the US troops in South Korea, aimed at developing a preemptive strike capacity against North Korea and locking out China, is committed to a comprehensive readjustment of its position in Asia. This includes the relocation of the Yongsan base and the Second Division, the transfer of the responsibility of defense against North Korea to the South Korean military, the restructuring of the USFK, reinforcement of the USFK's military capacity involving billion worth of new weapons, strengthening the attack capacity of operational plans, such as operation plan 5029, and related military exercises.

The Bush administration claims that Seoul's opposition to the USFK involvement in NE Asian conflicts outside the Korean peninsula is a "violation of the sovereign right of the US" and demands that the South Korean government accept the transformation of the USFK into an "Asia-Pacific rapid deployment force" as beneficial to the defense of Korea. 
The "strategic flexibility" of the USFK and the concomitant consolidation of their attack capacity will undoubtedly trigger military tension with North Korea and China, further heightening the threat of war on the Korean peninsula and throughout the NE Asian region. The opposition to this development, therefore, is not only justified, but common sense.

As a sovereign nation, the ROK has the right to prevent the deployment of the USFK in conflicts elsewhere in NE Asia, because this will have a direct effect on South Korea's national security. Moreover, the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty explicitly limits the scope of the USFK's operations to the defense of the ROK in the event of attack by North Korea .
In accordance with the terms of the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty, the ROK contributes 100 billion won every year for the maintenance of US troops in South Korea and support of the use and transfer of military bases, not to help the US to consolidate its regional hegemony.

The Bush administration must not attempt to force the South Korean government to accept its plan of "strategic flexibility" for the US troops stationed in South Korea nor the "transformation of the ROK-US alliance into a regional alliance", which it is pursuing as a part of its own project of regional dominance. 
The US policy can jeopardize the peace on the Korean peninsula and in NE Asia, and it clashes directly with the position of the Roh Moo-hyun government, which has declared that "it will not involve itself in any conflicts in Northeast Asia". President Roh Moo-hyun, therefore, must make it absolutely clear to the US that he is absolutely opposed to the US policy.

The Roh Moo-hyun government must not, in the upcoming summit meeting, commit itself to any agreement such as "regional significance of the alliance", a "re-interpretation of the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty or adoption of a ROK-US Security Declaration", the "adoption of guidelines for defense cooperation or a mechanism of prior assent (consultation) for overseas deployment of the USFK", which would pave the way for the establishment of the "strategic flexibility" of the US troops in South Korea. These are matters of grave importance about which the president of South Korea should consult with the Korean people first, not with the president of the US.

The ROK-US summit meeting is a test ground where the future of the independent peace policy endeavors will be determined.The Roh Moo-hyun government must not be afraid to tell the US that it disagrees with American policies.

The Korean people demand that a system of peace on the Korean peninsula be achieved through the peaceful resolution of the Korean peninsula nuclear issue. Peaceful reunification based on cooperation with neighboring Northeast Asian nations cannot but differ from US policies, which aim, through the "war against terrorism", "non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction", and "human rights diplomacy, to gain military hegemony in Northeast Asia.
The Roh Moo-hyun government need not be afraid of bringing these differences into the open.

We are moved to ask what Roh Moo-hyun's so-called "pragmatic diplomacy" has achieved. As can be seen in the cases of the dispatch of ROK troops to Iraq and negotiations for the transfer of the Yongsan base, the Roh Moo-hyun government has often failed to act appropriately, because it did not grasp the central importance of issues, or it was manipulated by the US, without expressing or achieving its own clear goals, and thus has been forced to accept the US position and policy as given, immutable realities. On the basis of the summit meeting's proceedings and outcome, we shall be able to determine whether President Roh Moo-hyun's recent series of statements reflects or constitutes a genuine commitment to a consistent policy program of diplomacy for peace. 

We call on President Roh Moo-hyun to approach the summit meeting with a determination to defend peace on the Korean peninsula, whatever difficulties and obstacles lie in the way. By successfully paving the way toward peaceful resolution of the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, and preventing the introduction of "strategic flexibility" for the USFK and the transformation of the ROK-US alliance into a regional alliance, we can sincerely look forward to the opening of a new chapter in independent diplomacy for peace.

2005. 6. 8

All Together, April Revolution Society(RohJoong-Sun), Buddhism Human Rights for Committee(Ven. Jee Won), Buddhist Solidarity for The Peace(Ven. Jin Gwan), Busan Women Organigation(Park Young Mi), Catholic Human Rights Committee(Pyon Yeon shik), Catholic preists' assosiation for justice(Mun KyuHyeon), Center for Peace Museum (Rep, Lee Hae Dong), Christian Alliance For Church Reform (Deuk-Hoon Park), Christian Solidarity for Justice and Peace(Kim Dong Han, Lee Young Ja, Choi Young Suk), Citizens' Action Network (Rep, Phil-Sang, Lee), Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media (Rep, Lee Myoung Sun), Citizen's Solidarity for Peace & Unification(Lee Jang-hie), Commitee for Independence,Peace&Reunification of Korea(Kim Eul-Soo), Corea Peace Solidarity(KIM YEONG MAN), Corea Youth Movement Council (Jeon Sang Bong), Cultural Action (Rep, Kim Jung-heon), Ecumenical Youth Council in Korea(Yoon Seok-Min), Federation of Korean Trade Unions(Lee, Yong-deuk), Feminist Artist Network( Lee Hyae Kyoung), Green Korea United (Rep, Park Young Sin), Gyeonggi Women's GroopSolidarity(Representative Mi-Joung, Choi), HanChongRyun(Song Hyo Won), Jeonbuk Women's Association United(Standing Representative :Eun Kyung Kim), Korea Christian faculty fellowship, Korean Association of Women Theologians(Kwak, Boon Yi), Korean confederation of trade unions(Lee Soo-Ho), Korean Federation for Environmental Movement(Rep, Yoon Jun Ha, Shin In Ryung), Korean Peasants League(Mun Kyong-sik),Korean People's Solidarity(Jung Kwang-hoon), Korean Women Workers Associations United(Sang Rim, Choi), Korean Women Peasants Association(Yoon Geum-Soon), Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center(Mi-Kyung Lee), Korea Student Christian Federation, Korea Women's Associations United(Nam In Soon), Korea Women's Hot Line(Park Inn Hea), Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Rep, Lee Suk-Tae), MINKAHYUP, HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP(Cho Sun-Deok), My sister's place Durebang(Yu Young Nim), National Alliance for Democrate & The Reunification of Korea(Oh Jong-Ryul), National Clergy conference for justice and peace(Kim Byoung Kyun, Park Deok Sin), Council of YMCAs of KOREA (Lee, Hack Young), National Federation of the Poor of Korea(Lee Pil Du, Kim Heung-Hyun), One Korea Buddhist Movement(Ven. Bop Ta), People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (Park Sang Jung, Lee Sun Jong), P.R.O.K. Committee for Peace and Unification(Na Heak Jib), Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea(Hong Keun Soo), Solidarity for Reunification of Korea(Han Sang-Ryul), Southern Headquarters of Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification(Lee Gyu-Jae), Supporting commitee for prisoners of conscience(Kwon Oh-Heon), Suwon Women's Association(Lee Ki Won), The Christian Institute for the Study of Justice and Development, The coalition for the spirit of Baeg-Bum(Han Myoung Soo), The Korea Greens(Lee chang Lim), The KoreanAssociation of Bereaved Families for Democracy(Gang Min-Jo), The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan(Shin Hei Soo), Tongil Women Organigation(Lee Jung Lee), Ulsan Women Organigation(Lee Eun Mi), Women Organization against U. S. Occupation (Lee Mi Hae), Won Buddhist Reverends Association for Unfolding the New Society (Chairman Kim Dae Seon), Won beautiful life, Women Making Peace(Sook Im Kim), 21C Corea Institute(Cho Duk-Won) 
(Total 62 organizations)