The six-party nuclear talks aimed at ending the North Korean nuclear crisis kicked off in Beijing on September 27th. During the talks, the participants will likely discuss Pyongyang’s disabling of its nuclear facilities, the second-phase measure of the Feb.14th denuclearization agreement. The resumption of the multilateral negotiations was postponed by eight days due to a delay in China’s promised delivery of heavy fuel oil to North Korea. Here’s Prof. Yu Ho-yeol from Korea University to explain more about the delayed meeting, which was initially to take place a week ago.

North Korea reportedly said that 50-thousand tons of heavy fuel oil, which China had promised to give to the North by August, had yet to arrive in the North, and that it would participate in the six-way talks only after the promised shipments were completed. In the meantime, nuclear experts from the United States, China and Russia visited North Korea from September 11 to the 15 for an on-site survey of the Yongbyon nuclear reactor site to discuss disablement measures for nuclear facilities there. Speculation is that North Korea may have been pressed for time to discuss some compensational measures to be provided from involved countries, including the U.S., for disabling its nuclear facilities, since the six-way talks were to be held only a few days after the inspection team completed their mission.

The delay of the six-party talks was announced just one day before the meeting, originally scheduled for September 19th. The apparent reason for the abrupt postponement was the delayed shipments of heavy fuel oil from China to North Korea. As Prof. Yu explained, however, there must have been other reasons. After the discussions with the three-nation inspection team on nuclear disablement, North Korea needed some time to come up with follow-up measures. After all, the six-way talks were postponed by one week. What does North Korea’s nuclear disablement have to do with the six-party talks? Let’s listen to Prof. Yu.

North Korea shut down its Yongbyon nuclear complex in July as the first step toward denuclearization, under the agreement reached last February. The nation is supposed to disable its nuclear facilities as a second step, and the key agenda of the ongoing six-party talks is a comprehensive roadmap for this stage. During the talks, the negotiators are expected to address how North Korea disables and declares its nuclear facilities and when it will complete the required procedures.

The main discussion topic of the four-day talks is how to ‘disable’ North Korea’s nuclear facilities. If the six-party agreement reached in September 2005 is a rough draft for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, this year’s February accord is a more specific blueprint. And the negotiators are examining the blueprint at the ongoing six-party talks. Earlier this month, the United States and North Korea agreed on the North’s disablement and declaration within the year during their working-level talks in Geneva. In return, Washington will remove Pyongyang from its list of terror-sponsoring nations and terminate the application of the Trading with the Enemy Act. Also, during the five-day on-site survey of the nuclear reactor site in Yongbyon, a three-nation nuclear inspection team came up with a draft on Pyongyang’s nuclear disablement, which may possibly be signed by the participants of the six-way talks. Consequently, the multilateral talks are expected to focus on a roadmap for the timeframe and other details about North Korea’s disabling of its atomic weapons program, which weren’t included in the February denuclearization accord. Will the nuclear negotiations be able to make substantial progress?

I don’t think ‘disablement’ itself is difficult, as North Korea has been relatively cooperative and much of its process involves technical matters. More tricky issues are the North’s uranium enrichment program, plutonium stockpiles held by the North and the North’s obligation to nuclear non-proliferation. It will likely take some time to settle those controversial issues. For now, it is possible that North Korea will disable its three main nuclear facilities, as a second-phase disarmament measure.

Following the Feb.13th accord, the participants of the six-party talks may formulate a new agreement, since North Korea has recently admitted that it had acquired from a third country some of the aluminum parts needed for uranium enrichment, which was the biggest stumbling block to implementing the second-stage denuclearization measures. However, the negotiations may bob upon stormy seas again, if North Korea seeks to discuss the provision of light water nuclear reactors or demand that the nation be recognized as a nuclear power. Also, the spreading suspicion about Pyongyang’s possible nuclear program connection with Syria is emerging as another setback that may affect the North’s nuclear dismantlement. So, the prospects for the six-party nuclear talks are still murky. How about the prospects for the inter-Korean summit, which will take place right after the six-way talks?

If the nuclear inspection team’s recent discussions on the North’s disablement of Yongbyon facilities contribute to producing a positive roadmap during the ongoing six-party talks, the upcoming inter-Korean summit will help smooth out the sensitive part of the North Korean nuclear issue. If the six-way talks fail to produce positive results, however, the inter-Korean summit may pose a burden on South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. To come to the point, positive outcomes from the six-way nuclear talks will provide the best dialogue setting for the North-South summit.

The six-way talks are drawing all the more attention, as their result may determine the fate of the planned inter-Korean summit as well as peace in Northeast Asia. Here’s hoping that the multilateral negotiations will make some progress to positively influence the hard-earned inter-Korean summit, the first such meeting in seven years.
[Interview] N. Korean Defector-Pianist Holds Charity Concert for Northern Flood Victims.
Without exception, powerful typhoons hit South Korea this fall. Typhoon Nari, in particular, battered the southern resort island of Jeju, bringing heavy rains all over the island and causing over 100 million dollars of damage. But Jeju wasn’t the only region smashed by torrential downpours. North Korea has been suffering from the worst-ever flooding in the past 40 years. The seven days of heavy rain in early August amounted to the nation’s whole annual precipitation. 300-thousand people were rendered homeless and 20 percent of the nation’s farmlands were lost. North Korean people will have to endure even more severe food shortages during the long winter season, because the already hunger-stricken country will run short of additional 100 tons of food. As a result, many South Koreans have been eager to extend a helping hand to flood victims across the border. Today, we’ll talk about a special charity concert for the unfortunate victims in North Korea, which was held last week. Starting with two North Korean songs, the concert featured a variety of music performances, including ‘Arirang,’ a folk song enjoyed by both South and North Koreans, and Richard Clayderman’s beautiful piano piece, ‘A Comme Amour.’ The benefit concert’s true meaning of sharing the pain and sorrow with North Koreans was flowing in the warm and mellow tones of the piano music by Prof. Kim Cheong-woong, an artist with a special music career.

I’m one of the persons who know exactly what the North Korean situation is. I thought it would be nice if my humble music, my small efforts, contribute to improving the lives of the North Korean people and the unification process.

Mr. Kim now serves as a professor of the Music Department at Hanseo University. He was born in North Korea in 1974 and grew up as a piano prodigy in the communist country. At the tender age of 8, he was admitted to Pyongyang Music College, the nation’s most prestigious music school, with a staggering competition rate of 3,000 to one. He became the second Asian to win a prize at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. Kim went to the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow to study music. There, he happened to listen to Richard Clayderman’s ‘A Comme Amour,’ which proved to be a turning point in his life. North Koreans enjoy classical music, but they are not allowed to listen to all music genres that have been produced since the 19th century. When Kim first experienced the French artist’s beautiful piano melodies, he felt a thrill of joy and began to crave for free pursuit of music. He returned to North Korea, but he couldn’t give up on his dream. Abandoning his rosy future as a concertmaster of the Pyongyang National Orchestra, he finally escaped North Korea in 2001. After all sorts of difficulties, he managed to reach South Korea two years later. But his South Korean life was far from easy.

At first, I didn’t understand why I had to express myself that way. I was even offended. As time went by, however, I realized that it is important to recover my true identity in the process and find out what I would be able to do. I’ve experienced both North and South Korea. I thought I could do something to unite them. To become a go-between who can help South Koreans learn something they don’t know about North Korea, or vice versa, I have to prepare much. I thought I came here for the sole purpose of pursuing musical activities, but now I believe I’m entrusted with a more meaningful mission.

The musician gave up everything and crossed the border, because he wanted freedom of musical expression. But the label of “North Korean defector” has always followed him since he resettled in South Korea. He was frustrated. He was wondering who he is and how he will lead his life. Then, he cherished an even bigger dream of bringing the two Koreas together through music. He decided to remind South Korean citizens of the importance of peace and freedom, through his music. And the recent charity concert has built confidence in him.

The concert reminded me once again that North and South could become one through music, even though they aren’t familiar with music from the other side. Many people, including singer Hong Sun-gwan and poet Do Jong-hwan, joined the concert. I realized music could reduce the long estrangement between the South and North in a very short time. When people in the two Koreas are allowed to meet with each other, I believe songs will unite them as one.

The audience applauded when each performance ended, with their hearts swelling with excitement. The wall between North and South Korea seemed to be breaking down. Let’s listen to some audience members.

…People talked with each other and enjoyed the music. It was a great show. I hope this kind of concert will be held again to encourage both South and North Koreans to heal their mental scars and to comfort each other.

…While listening to Prof. Kim’s performances, I felt that we have neglected and even forgotten our brothers and sisters in the North, even though they live so close to us. We should help them, if opportunities are given.

Through music, the performers and the audience became one at the concert, which highlighted another possibility of unifying the two Koreas. Prof. Kim will continue to mesmerize the audience with his beautiful and hopeful music.