The Six-Party Talks: A Critical Assessment and Implications for South Korea's Policy Toward North Korea

Abstract

Abstract In February 2005, North Korea declared that it had no intention to continue the Six-Party Talks and already possessed nuclear weapons, and asked the United States to abandon its hostile policy. South Korea, the United States, and China have made strenuous efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through dialog. In September 2005, the fourth round of the Six-Party Talks dramatically adopted the joint statement, which provides a fundamental principle to resolve the decade-old North Korean nuclear issue. At the joint statement North Korea agreed to abandon all nuclear weapons and all nuclear programs. South Korea, the United States, China, and Japan expressed their willingness to provide energy assistance to North Korea. They also agreed to discuss the provision of the LWR to the North at an appropriate time. However, the Six-Party Talks has been stalemated since the first round of the fifth such talks due to North Korea's demand for provision of a light-water reactor (LWR) before any implementation of the joint statement. To resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, a step-by-step approach might be desirable. At the first phase, all countries that signed on the joint statement should exert every effort to build favorable conditions for the North to implement the joint statement. North Korea must return to the NPT and accept IAEA inspection and related countries must prepare to give energy assistance to the North. At the second phase, North Korea must begin nuclear dismantlement process, and the United States and Japan need to improve their relations with North Korea. At the third phase North Korea must complete nuclear dismantlement, and the United States, Japan and North Korea must normalize their diplomatic relations.