Tag: humanitarian assistance

If the ROK Foreign Minister is to believed it appears the US will be offering a peace treaty and humanitarian aid in return for denuclearization steps:

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha referred to ending the Korean War, establishing a communication channel between North Korea and the U.S., and humanitarian aid as possible measures that Washington could offer Pyongyang for taking denuclearization steps.

“Various options are being discussed as corresponding measures,” Kang told reporters in a briefing at the foreign ministry, Wednesday.

However, on resuming operations at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex (GIC) or tours to Mount Geumgang, which had drawn attention as possible reciprocal measures, Kang said such these “were not at a stage of being reviewed.”

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but as I have said before a Korean War peace treaty is something that North Korea has long sought as a way to end the presence of US troops in South Korea. If there is peace why is USFK needed?

President Moon has been saying all the right things that USFK will remain after any peace treaty is signed, to include claiming Kim Jong-un understands this as well. However, this is likely just rhetoric to prevent energizing South Korean conservatives against a peace treaty. 

Remember Moon is a very skilled politician that needs to keep the Korean right at bay and public anxiety down.  If he openly advocated for a USFK withdrawal, that would give the South Korean right an issue to strongly attack him with and cause much public anxiety after decades of security guarantees provided by US forces.  That is why I think the Moon administration will publicly say they support USFK staying, but will then have surrogates do things to make life difficult for USFK.

Possibly the future of USFK after a peace treaty could look a lot like the current THAAD site in Seongju.  President Moon will say all the right things that he supports USFK, just like he supposedly supports the THAAD site, but will set conditions to make it difficult for its continued existence and cause the US to withdraw troops on its own accord.

The US State Department is saying the hard truth that many do not want to hear about North Korea:

North Korea’s humanitarian crisis is entirely the fault of the regime, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Voice of America on Monday.
The spokesperson said there will be no substantial humanitarian aid without denuclearization, despite the UN Security Council’s recent decision to permit civic groups to give some medical aid to the North.
Asked by VOA to comment on the UN’s request for funding for humanitarian aid to the North next year, the spokesperson said, “The regime can fully meet the 2018 United Nations humanitarian appeal’s request for $111 million by redirecting its funds and resources from its nuclear and weapons programs.” 
On Dec. 4, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it needs $111 million to support 6 million starving North Koreans next year.

Chosun Ilbo

You can read more at the link, but I think the US State Department is sending a message to South Korea and others that there will be no possibility of circumventing sanctions by calling projects in North Korea humanitarian assistance.