Declaration: Former South Korean Diplomats Call for Freedom, ROK-US Alliance, Human Rights for Defectors, Adherence to UN Sanctions, Improving Relations with Japan, Abolishing China’s 3 Nos

2020-3-1, Former Diplomats of the Republic of Korea

Declaration of the “Love for the Nation” Former Diplomats Meeting

Dear fellow citizens,

Since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in administration, we former diplomats have expressed concerns about his foreign and security policies. We have particularly spoken out about his policy towards North Korea on several occasions and urged the administration to make corrections. Despite this, over the past four years, not only has the government made policies towards North Korea and foreign security which have damaged the nation, but it has also deviated from the constitution and breached the universal values of liberal democracy, market economy, rule of law, and human dignity. These acts have driven our citizens into anxiety and fear.

On the occasion of the 102^nd anniversary of the March 1^st Movement, we former diplomats remember the March 1^st Movement of 1919, and call for this government to immediately end these acts in the field of diplomacy and security that harm “our sovereignty and national interests,”  especially in the field of diplomacy and security. We, and our fellow citizens urge the government once again to operate the Republic of Korea normally through the following ways

1.     (Cooperation with Developed Countries) The Republic of Korea has been praised by the free world, including the states and members of the OECD that are part of the so-called “club of developed countries” as a nation that respects universal values “including individual freedom and dignity, national sovereignty, rule of law, and market economy.” For this, it has been praised as a model for many countries around the world. Even when we look at the cases of our neighboring Asian economies, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan, which have succeeded in economic development with the “common” values of our Republic of Korea, there is no question that the Republic of Korea has made choices that have led to its success. We former diplomats and citizens remain deeply grateful and take great pride in having had the privilege of taking part in the miraculously successful national construction process.

2.     (ROK-US cooperation) Above all, a strong ROK-US alliance is the cornerstone of the security and economic development of the Republic of Korea. When looking back, the US overpowered Japanese imperialism to bring liberation to our nation, which made the founding of the “free and democratic” Republic of Korea possible in 1948. Furthermore, the US is the only ally of the Republic of Korea, which encouraged more than 60 countries to support the Republic of Korea to stop the communists, who invaded on June 25, 1950, and to endure 54,000 killed, 100,000 wounded, and 8,000 missing by dispatching large-scale forces to our nation. Additionally, until the early 1960s, it supported South Korea’s economic development by paying nearly half of our government’s budget, and opened the U.S. market to Korean exports, which was the cornerstone of Korea’s economic growth. Remembering the support of the US government and the sacrifices of the American people is not just gratitude for past events but will serve as the foundation for solid cooperation between the two countries, leading our nation to sustainable development and a bright future.

Despite this, if the Moon Jae-in administration works to abandon the ROK-US alliance and withdraw US forces in Korea by early wartime operational control transition without sufficient preliminary preparation, this would be an act of treason against the Korean people. Former USFK commander General Burwell B. Bell has sternly warned us by saying, “In the end, a nuclear armed South Korea would highly antagonize the United States, Japan, Russia and China and be left in a sea of instability facing north Korea with a very uncertain Alliance with the United States. This means South Korea would certainly be surrounded and alone — alone — in its efforts to defend itself and maintain peace and stability in an historically rough neighborhood. The future of South Korea and its wonderful people would be put at great risk with few if any friends to help guarantee its security.”

3. (ROK-U.S.-Japan triangular cooperation) We cannot neglect the international factors that have been the driving force for our prosperity and development. The solid ROK-US alliance, ROK-Japan economic cooperation, and a close trilateral security cooperation system between Korea, the US and Japan must be remembered and strengthened. As the United States and Japan share common values with us, the unity of the three countries, ROK, the United States, and Japan is essential for the present and future interests of our Republic of Korea. The dark experiences of the past should never be an obstacle to the bright future in diplomacy between South Korea and Japan. The emotional core between the people of the two countries must be overcome with the ceaseless efforts of the two countries, and the people’s voices must not be exploited for political gains.

Keeping in mind that South Korea and Japan are the closest neighbors that share not only the universal value of modern civilization but also ancient history, we must be wary not to be damaged by the other country’s efforts to undermine the friendly relations between South Korea and Japan.

4.     (Diplomacy with China) China remains at a level of anti-civilization as it continues to severely violate its own people’s human rights, massacres minorities, and refuses to recognize human rights as a universal value. Moreover, despite their crimes, the Chinese Communist forces who helped North Korea invade the South on June 25 against the UN Security Council decision, which is the highest international legal norm, claimed “victory” regarding their hostile attack against our nation.

Since China ignores the basic values of modern civilization and the norms of international law, it is in direct conflict with our national interests in many ways. The CCP has refused to recognize that half of the West Sea is our jurisdiction, and continues to argue that most of the West Sea is under its own jurisdiction, and is also in conflict with several neighboring countries, which goes against international law. They also continue to disrupt international order by sending a huge number of spies to many countries to seize advanced technology, intervene in illegal elections, and plunder developing countries. We must remain vigilant to avoid China’s communist ambition and flight.

Nevertheless, immediately after its inauguration, the Moon Jae-in administration stated that 1) there would be no additional deployment of THAAD to Korea, 2) it would not join the missile defense system (MD) of the United States, and 3) it would avoid military cooperation between the US, and Japan. He has shown a submissive stance towards the CCP regime by promising these policies.

Recently, President Moon Jae-in said, “Congratulations on the founding of the Communist Party, celebrating its 100th anniversary,” in a phone call with General Secretary Xi Jinping. To this, the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menendez said, “Isn’t South Korea an alliance country that has spilled blood with the United States? Until recently, South Korea was a country that respected liberal democracy, market economy, rule of law, and human rights. Now, why are they congratulating communism?” While the US deplores such acts, the time has come for South Koreans to ask whether Moon Jae-in is truly the President of the Republic of Korea.

5. (Relations with North Korea) The improvement of the human rights and living conditions of North Koreans should be the top priority in South Korea’s policy towards North Korea. As the Kim Jong-un regime continues to trample on the human rights of the North Korean people, fails to supply the necessary food for survival, and wastes national resources on the development of illegal nuclear weapons and missiles that destroy international peace, the UN General Assembly has stated that Kim Jong-un should be referred to the International Criminal Court.

Kim Jong-un’s regime is a rogue regime under severe sanctions by the UN Security Council for its threats to international security and peace.

Nevertheless, the Moon Jae-in administration has supported the North Korean regime’s fictional peace strategy under the camouflage of “Uriminzzokiri (our people by ourselves),” and is inducing our people to subjugate themselves to the Kim dynasty through the creation of an inter-Korean federal system.

The slogan “Uriminzzokiri (our people by ourselves)” is also used as a means of protecting Kim Jong-un and suppressing the human rights of North Korean defectors. The US Congress is expected to hold a hearing on the suppression of the human rights of North Korean defectors by the South Korean government.

The Moon Jae-in administration agreed with North Korea to destroy our defense system without prior consultation with the United States. Also the administration broke the trust of the UN states by the request of North Korea, which insists for an unreasonable end to the war.  In addition, the refusal of combined ROK-US military training has made it inevitable for combat capability to be impeded in the case of emergency.

Moreover, it was revealed that the Moon Jae-in administration supported North Korea’s nuclear development by supporting the development of a nuclear power plant in violation of the sanctions of the UN Security Council. It was also revealed that the administration aided an illegal transshipment of North Korean aid materials and money laundering, while North Korea focused on short-range tactical nuclear weapons development targeting the Republic of Korea. It was clearly revealed through the North Korean Workers’ Party Congress in January 2021 that they are striving for an armed unification strategy.

Dear fellow citizens,

With concern, we former diplomats are watching the inauguration of the new Minister of Foreign Affairs. This is because Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong visited Pyongyang three years ago and announced that he had received the promise of “denuclearization of the Korean peninsula” from Kim Jong-un and then further undermined the trust of our allies by forcefully promoting the inter-Korean and US-DPRK summits.

We, former diplomats, want to urge the new foreign minister, together with the people, to “be reborn to earn the trust of our allies as the last chance to serve the country.” There are few people among those in charge of security and diplomacy in the Moon administration who allied nations can trust.

Furthermore, I urge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff to defend the Constitution and encourage them to dedicate themselves to improving the national interests so that our image will not degrade in front of the international community, thus endangering our security and economy. In any case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should not betray the people and become a group advocating for the Kim Jong-un rogue regime.

Dear fellow citizens,

Now, we, former diplomats with you fellow citizens, in the name of gaining back the trust of our allied nations and protecting our security and economy, would like to urge the Moon Jae-in government to do the following:

1. Abandon the submissive attitude toward the North Korean Kim Jong-un regime and the Chinese Communist Party in order to restore trust with the traditional alliance, to normalize the trilateral cooperation between Korea, the United States, and Japan, and to resume combined military exercises between the United States and Korea immediately.

2. Minimize the possibilities of a secondary boycott by preventing the recurrence of cases that violate UN Security Council sanctions against the Kim Jong-un regime.

3. Dispel the suspicion of the free world that South Korea is an anti-freedom rogue state by immediately stopping violations of civil rights such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the human rights of North Korean defectors.

4. Propose to resolve the conflict between South Korea and Japan about the compensation for comfort women and conscripts through an international trial. As Japan’s distrust of the Moon administration is at a serious level, a prompt resolution through an international trial is urgent.

5. Ban acts or legislation that follow communism. Additionally, the pursuit of inter-Korean federation should be abandoned. Also the 3 ban policy toward China must be abolished without delay.

6. Participate in a timely manner in the national coalition that actively contributes as a member of the free and open Indo-Pacific Partnership and respects liberal democracy, market economy, the rule of law, and human rights, including the Quad and Clean Network, which are formed of four states–United States, Japan, India and Australia.

All of these matters should be discussed closely with the US government.

Joint Representatives

Jaichun Lee, former ROK Ambassador to Russia

Won-il Cho, former ROK Ambassador to Vietnam

Suk-woo Kim, former Vice-minister of Unification