The Korea Chair Team Takes a Biweekly Look Back at Events of Interest in Washington, Seoul, and the Region

February 6 – February 19, 2014

The Korea Chair team takes a biweekly look back at events of interest in Washington, Seoul, and the region.

U.S.-ROK RELATIONS U.S. Representative Ed Royce Visits Seoul On February 18, Representative Ed Royce (R-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee led a bipartisan delegation of House colleagues to South Korea. They met with President Park Geun-hye at the Blue House, where she commended Royce for his recent visit to a monument commemorating comfort women in Glendale, California, and his tribute to Hwang Geum-ja, one of the few surviving comfort women, who had recently passed away, say- ing his act touched the hearts of the Korean people. They also met with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se later in the day to discuss the U.S.-ROK alliance and bilateral issues.

TRADE AND ECONOMICS U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Visits South Korea South Korea Continues Talks to Join TPP On February 13, Secretary Kerry began his Asia trip by The South Korean government has been holding a series of bilateral going to South Korea for two days. He met with Presi- talks with countries participating in the regional free trade agree- dent Park Geun-hye and Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se ment, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which currently during his stay. Pictured here with him is the U.S. Ambas- comprises of 12 member states. On February 12, Deputy Trade Min- sador to South Korea, Sung Kim, eating stir-fried rice ister Choi Kyong-lim said that, despite the complex negotiations, South Korea will try to complete its procedure to join as soon as pos- cakes (떡볶이) in the streets of Seoul. sible. The government has already finished talks with 11 of the Photo Credit: U.S. State Department Flickr photostream. member countries, with talks with Japan scheduled in March.

REGIONAL RELATIONS ROK and Japan Hold Talks in Seoul Junichi Ihara, director-general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, met with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Sang-deok, the ROK Foreign Ministry’s deputy director-general for Northeast Asian affairs, on February 18 in Seoul. This is the first director-general level meeting since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine in December 2013.

China Diplomats Visit North Korea The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed on February 12 that a group of Chinese diplomats, led by Xing Haiming, deputy director- President Obama Returns to South Korea in April general of Asian affairs, had visited North Korea a week earlier, On February 12, the White House released President making it the first reported visit since the death of Jang Song-thaek Barack Obama’s official itinerary for his April trip to in December last year. On February 17, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Asia. He will be returning to South Korea for the fourth Zhenmin of China began a four-day trip to North Korea to discuss time, the first since his reelection in 2012. He is also bilateral issues. going to Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines. Photo credit: The White House. DOMESTIC POLITICS UPP Lawmaker Lee Seok-ki Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison Unified Progressive Party (UPP) lawmaker Lee Seok-ki was given the guilty verdict and sentenced to 12 years in prison on February 17 for KOREA CHAIR MONITOR | 2

plotting and inciting an armed uprising against the South Korean government. In addition to the prison term, he also received a 10- year suspension of his civil rights after release. Lee’s six fellow de- fendants were also convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to seven years. Lee’s lawyer announced that they would appeal.

INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS High-level Inter-Korean Talks Held On February 13–14, North and South Korea held the first high-level inter-Korean meeting in seven years in the peace village of Panmun- USFK Commander Visits ROK Naval Operations Command jom. The South Korean delegation was led by Kim Kyou-hyun, vice USFK Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti visited the South foreign minister, and the North Korean delegation was led by Won Korean Naval Operations Command on February 6, and Tong-yon, deputy director of the United Front Department. On the met with the ROK Naval Operations Commander Jung Ho- second day of the meeting, the two agreed to hold the family reun- seob and the Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Korea ions as scheduled from February 20–25 in the Mount Kumgang Re- Lisa Franchetti to discuss deterrence and combined opera- sort in North Korea. The two sides also agreed to a “no-slander” tion readiness. agreement to promote “mutual understanding and trust.” Photo credit: UNC-CFC-USFK Flickr photostream.

NORTH KOREA UN Commission of Inquiry Report Released On February 17, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea released its 400-page UN- mandated report on human rights violations in the country. This report was released after a year of investigation, in which the Com- mission obtained first-hand testimony from 80 witnesses in Seoul, Tokyo, London, and Washington, D.C., as well as information from more than 240 confidential interviews with victims and witnesses. The three-member Commission is composed of Michael Kirby, the chairman, Sonja Biserko, and Marzuki Darusman, and they will for- mally present their findings to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 17. The report documented numerous crimes and human rights abuses committed by the North Korean govern- Preparations for February 20-25 Family Reunion ment. One of its recommendation for the international community Preparations are underway for the scheduled family was to render those accountable to be responsible for their crimes reunion from February 20 to 25 at Mount Kumgang against humanity, which may mean bringing Kim Jong-un to the Resort, where 82 South Koreans and 88 North Koreans International Criminal Court for his actions. will meet their family members. Photo Credit: D-Stanley Flickr photostream. Looking Ahead Our Friday morning preview of events to watch in the weeks ahead.

 February 20–23 | A group of 42 ROK National Assembly lawmakers, led by Rep. Chung Mong-joon of the Saenuri Party will visit China and meet with senior Chinese government officials, including President Xi Jinping.

 February 20–25| Family reunions between South Korea and North Korea will be held in Mount Kumgang Hotel.

 February 24–March 6 | South Korea and the United States will hold their annual Key Resolve military exercise.

 February 24–April 18 | South Korea and the United States will hold their annual Foal Eagle military exercise

KOREA CHAIR MONITOR CSIS Office of the Korea Chair contributors: Victor Cha, Senior Adviser and Chair Marie DuMond, Research Associate Sang Jun Lee, Research Assistant Andy Lim, Senior Research Intern Eunchong Jeon, Research Intern Hannah Suh, Research Intern Sanford Hesler, Research Intern Wonseok Lee, Research Intern

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KoreaChair Monitor is a biweekly publication of the CSIS Office of the Korea Chair, available online. CSIS is a private, nonprofit institution headquartered in Washington, D.C., focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions; accordingly, all views expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).