North Korea and the U.S. have held a second round of high-level talks this year. High-ranking officials from the two sides sat at the dialogue table in Geneva on October 24 and 25 to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue, three months after the first such talks in New York in July. After the meeting in Geneva, North Korea’s chief delegate Kim Kye-gwan said that the talks produced major progress. The North’s First Vice Foreign Minister also said that there were some differences that the two sides failed to narrow and that they decided to review those matters and solve them when they meet again. Meanwhile, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth, who led the U.S. delegation, described the meeting as being very useful, adding that the two sides had some very positive and generally constructive talks. Park Jong-cheol at the Korea Institute for National Unification says that Pyongyang and Washington failed to produce any specific agreements during their recent talks but they did agree to continue dialogue, keeping the momentum for the six-party nuclear talks alive.

During the first round of North Korea-U.S. meetings in New York in July, the two sides tapped each other’s opinions on resuming the six-party talks. And they met for a second time in Geneva to narrow their differing views on the same issue. While there were no major breakthroughs in the latest talks, the two countries did continue their dialogue. I think the recent talks have paved the way for the two sides to coordinate their views on the three preconditions for resuming the six-party talks through in-depth discussions and to discuss the timing, potential agenda items and format of the multilateral negotiations.

Diplomatic experts are taking note of the word “progress” mentioned by Kim. The remarks came after Bosworth’s comment indicating “some progress” the previous day. Citing this, experts assume that the two sides reached some sort of consensus during the talks. There is speculation that North Korea may have accepted, in part, the proposals of halting its nuclear and missile tests and allowing the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to return to the North.

It’s hard to assess the results specifically since the details of the talks are yet unknown. But I imagine North Korea, which has been anxious to engage in dialogue with the U.S., places great significance on the fact that it held talks with the U.S. twice this year. Previously, three preconditions were suggested for the resumption of the six-party talks. Among them, it is possible that the two sides narrowed their differences on two issues—the return of the IAEA inspectors and North Korea’s declaration of a moratorium on weapons of mass destructions like nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. I’m guessing the two countries fine-tuned their views on these matters somehow to make some progress.

However, it doesn’t seem that the North and the U.S. reached an agreement on the key issue of the uranium enrichment program or UEP. The U.S. insists that North Korea halt its uranium enrichment program in accordance with the previous agreement to “stop all nuclear activities,” since the UEP is included in the nuclear activities. North Korea, on the other hand, argues that its UEP is part of the efforts to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The North reportedly held fast to this view during the Geneva talks. So, why is North Korea sticking to its uranium enrichment program?

In the past, North Korea sought plutonium-based nuclear arms development. Along with that, the North is resorting to the uranium enrichment program as a new means of developing nuclear weapons. The UEP will comprise a new discussion topic in future negotiations. North Korea wants the U.S. to accept the North’s possession of nuclear weapons as an established fact. By using the UEP issue as a new negotiation card, Pyongyang is trying to elicit concessions from the U.S. and the international community within the framework of the six-party talks. For North Korea, therefore, halting the UEP before the talks is unacceptable. That is why it continues to refuse to make a concession on this matter.

Now, the focus shifts to inter-Korean denuclearization talks and North Korea-U.S. dialogue. The U.S. is expected to discuss the schedule and agenda items for additional dialogue through the so-called “New York channel,” which refers to North Korea’s U.N. mission in New York. Mr. Park predicts that the third round of North Korea-U.S. talks will be possible as early as this year and that two sides may fully discuss such issues as a halt to the UEP and food aid for North Korea.

The U.S. needs to take some procedures to approve Glyn Davies as a new Special Representative for North Korea Policy in replacement of Bosworth. So, I imagine the third round of North Korea-U.S. dialogue will be possible in early December at the earliest. No doubt, a halt to the UEP will be a key topic. In a broader context, food aid for North Korea may also be discussed in order to create a good atmosphere for the North Korea-U.S. meeting and the resumption of the six-party talks as well. The U.S. initially promised to send 500-thousand tons of food to the North, but 330-thousand tons have yet to be provided. To form favorable conditions for restarting the six-party talks, they could discuss when and how the remaining 330-thousand tons of food will be provided to the North.

As Pyongyang and Washington have wrapped up their second round of dialogue, the involved countries seem to be moving fast to assess the recent talks and prepare for additional meetings. Both North Korea and the U.S. are expected to brief their traditional allies—China and South Korea, respectively—on the result of their talks and start coordinating views on how to prepare for future negotiations.

South Korea and the U.S. need to closely analyze the result of the recent Geneva talks, while consulting with China, Japan and Russia as well. Based on the result, the involved countries will have to discuss the future course of action. Accordingly, bilateral, trilateral or multilateral talks will be held behind the scenes down the road to fine-tune their respective views. We have to pay keen attention to China’s role as a mediator. In fact, South Korea has played a leading role in stepping up efforts to resume the six-party talks lately, as seen in the two rounds of inter-Korean denuclearization talks, which served as a steppingstone to North Korea-U.S. dialogue. In future negotiations, I expect South Korea will continue to play an active role.

As in their New York talks in July, North Korea and the U.S. did not produce any substantial results at the second round of talks in Geneva. Still, both sides assess the meeting positively, raising hopes for reconvening the six-party talks. It seems that the two countries have built a solid consensus on the need for resuming the six-party talks. Involved countries need to address the situation proactively, while North Korea and the U.S. should demonstrate greater flexibility in order to resume the six-party talks promptly.


[Interview] Defector Couples Participate in Group Wedding Hosted by KBS
With KBS Symphony Orchestra performing, a special wedding ceremony was held on October 16 at KBS hall in Yeouido, Seoul. Some 1,000 guests attended the group wedding to celebrate the newly married couples. 50 couples from underprivileged homes, including multicultural couples, were invited to the free group wedding, which was organized by the Korean Broadcasting System. Among then, nine North Korean defector couples were included. Let’s meet with Kim Seong-ha from the Social Contribution Department at KBS.

Many North Korean defectors are living here in South Korea. We organized this wedding event to help them resettle here in a more stable manner. In typical wedding ceremonies, couples are supposed to stand until the ceremony is over. For this special group wedding, however, tables were arranged on a wide stage of KBS hall so couples with disabilities and old couples could sit comfortably. While maintaining due formality, the wedding was designed to help brides and bridegrooms as well as guests have a good time together.

In fact, the nine North Korean defector couples delayed their wedding ceremonies due to financial difficulties, even though they were already living as married couples. They say they always envied South Korean couples for their fabulous wedding ceremonies. But on their wedding day hosted by KBS, they were excited to see their spouses dressed in luxurious tuxedos or beautiful wedding gowns.

... In North Korea, brides usually wear hanbok, the traditional Korean outfit. But brides here wear wedding dresses. It’s stunning. I never knew I was so beautiful.
... Finally! I’m dressed in a wedding gown. I’ve always wished to wear a wedding dress before I get older, as I’ve been getting more and more wrinkles around my eyes. But I couldn’t, because my situation wasn’t so great and there were no opportunities. Today, I realized my dream. I’m so happy to hold a wedding ceremony, dressed in a wedding gown.
... The bride is so beautiful. I knew she was pretty, but she looks even prettier with her wedding makeup.

KBS TV announcers Jeon Hyun-moo and Park Ji-hyun co-hosted the event, while KBS president Kim In-kyu officiated at the wedding. The couples exchanged marriage vows and pledged their eternal love. A number of singers and entertainers attended the wedding to present various congratulatory performances, despite their busy schedules. For the newly-wed couples, it must be the happiest moment in their lives. Some of them wept during the wedding at the thought of their family members in North Korea and the hardships they have endured. But they smiled brightly soon, picturing a happy future in South Korea where they will start a new life with their loved ones.

... I felt very lonely because I left behind my siblings in North Korea. But my husband is really nice to me, comforting me and helping me fight loneliness. Mother, Father, I’ll live a great life here. I’m happy to hold a wedding ceremony in South Korea. Honey, we’ve just gotten married. We’ll live happily together.

After the wedding ceremony, a wedding reception was held and some couples left for a honeymoon with their family members. Mr. Kim says he believes the group wedding will help the defector couples have a happy family even in the unfamiliar South Korean society.

After the wedding, two couples will leave for a honeymoon. I’d say a family trip. They will make a two-day trip to Daemyung Resort in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, together with some of their family members. A brief recreation session is prepared that evening. They will tour around the region the next morning and Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul in the afternoon. Their trip ends with a KBS tour later in the day. The group wedding is the first of its kind, and we plan to hold similar wedding ceremonies twice a year—in spring and in autumn—from next year. We’ll make greater efforts to come up with various programs aimed at helping vulnerable groups in society, including North Korean expatriates.

It is said that marriage is a fresh start in life. The group wedding will hopefully inspire the defector couples, who have started a new life in South Korea, to nurture their hopes and happiness.