Global
response:
denuclearizing
the Korean
Peninsula
Summits
The Singapore and Hanoi Summits between North Korea and the U.S. did not produce a deal to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. And the standoff between North Korea and the world continues.
“I think that Kim Jong-un probably overplayed his hand in thinking President Trump would agree to something that his negotiating team wouldn’t,” says Daniel Wertz who is a Program Coordinator for the North Korean Committee in Washington, D.C.
Kim Jong-un offered to dismantle some of its nuclear facilities in return for lifting the most biting UN sanctions.
“It wasn’t in the interest for the U.S. to take the deal. The sanctions pressure would have been lifted, but North Korea would have been able to continue producing nuclear warheads, ballistic missiles and biological and chemical weapons,” says Wertz.
President Trump’s counter offer was for North Korea to fully denuclearize, and in return promising North Korea a path to riches and prosperity. Kim Jong-un didn’t take the deal.
“Things look like they could go downhill rather quickly,” says Wertz. “But on the other hand, I think there is still space for the two sides to engage and work well towards negotiations.”
What role could Canada play?
Hardline approaches have never motivated North Korea to denuclearize.
“When you take a look at the bottom-line, nothing’s really changed,” says Robert Hahn, President of the Ottawa Chapter of the National Unification Advisory Council. Hahn is pleased to see President Trump and South Korean President Moon’s willingness to speak with Kim Jong-un, but is pessimistic about the summits.
“Even after they’ve come to some kind of agreement at these summits, they turn around and renege on them. You can’t be an optimist,” says Hahn.
For North Korea, there could be an advantage to engage with a more neutral state like Canada. The Canadian government once endorsed Kim Dae Jung’s “Sunshine Policy” and could share some of its own sunny ways through acting as negotiator.
The North tends to view U.S. policies as hostile, and a less aggressive Canadian presence could play a constructive role in talks about denuclearization.
Marius Grinius has advocated to restore Canadian-North Korean diplomatic relations by cross-accrediting the current ambassador to Korea to Pyongyang. Marius was the the first cross-accredited Canadian ambassador to Seoul and Pyongyang, and travelled to Pyongyang multiple times between 2007-2010.
Grinius points out that Canada continued to maintain diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union even as Cold War tensions escalated.
“Moscow was ready to nuke us, but we kept our embassy there. And after the massacre in Tiananmen Square, we did not break off relations with China.”
During the Harper government, foreign policy with North Korea boiled down to, “North Korea: Communist, therefore bad. South Korea: democratic, therefore good”
In 2010, Canada implemented the Controlled Engagement Policy with North Korea which emphasized minimal interaction with the Hermit Kingdom. Grinius says that during the Harper government, foreign policy with North Korea boiled down to, “North Korea: Communist, therefore bad. South Korea: democratic, therefore good.” Grinius says Canada’s Controlled Engagement Policy was short sighted.
“It is in our interest to return to closer diplomatic relations so we have a better perspective of what’s happening there. To be a player, you have to be engaged.”
In a November 2018 report titled, “Canada’s Engagement with Asia,” the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development recommended that Canada should consider renewing its diplomatic relations with North Korea by cross-accrediting the Canadian Ambassador to North and South Korea.
On March 20, 2019, the Canadian government responded to the recommendations, stating that Canada will not be pursuing diplomatic relations with North Korea until they dismantle their nuclear arsenal. The statement says:
“While Canada is encouraged by ongoing dialogue and has noted the DPRK’s reaffirmation of it’s commitment to denuclearize, Canada will continue to advocate for the DPRK to take concrete actions to verifiably abandon its WMD program.”
Are North Koreans refugees?
“It’s a struggle being North Korean in South Korea, because South Korea in of itself is a very homogenous society. They’re legal citizens, but they never really attain that kind of cultural citizenship” – Sean Chung, Han Voice
North Koreans who find integrating into South Korea overly burdensome may chose to migrate to third country like Canada.
“They live in South Korea for a number of years, and they cannot assimilate,” says Robert Hahn. “They are not South Korean. They are North Koreans who happened to get to South Korea before Canada,” says Hahn.
After a North Korean refugee graduates from the Hanawon program, they receive South Korean citizenship, and are no longer refugees. International refugee law states refugees cannot receive asylum to more than one country.
In 2012, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada began issuing deportation notices to North Koreans. Han Voice reports that North Koreans had destroyed their South Korean passports in order to seek asylum to Canada.
North Koreans who illegally immigrated to Canada are now in a precarious situation. Canadian immigration is in the process of deporting North Koreas who immigrated with false papers to South Korea.
“They’ve already crossed four or five borders to get to South Korea. They don’t understand why it’s wrong, because that’s what they did to survive,” says Sean Chung, the Director of Advocacy and Strategy of Han Voice.
The immigration procedure as a non-refugee is lengthy and expensive. It requires proof of income with guarantee of work or sponsorship to Canada. By applying as refugees, North Koreans mitigate these issues, and can gain permanent residence.
“It’s a struggle being North Korean in South Korea, because South Korea is a very homogenous society,” says Chung. “They’re legal citizens, but they never really attain that kind of cultural citizenship.”
South Korea is considered a durable solution for North Korean defectors by international law’s standards. However, for North Koreans who struggle to integrate into South Korea, a less culturally homogenous country such as Canada may be a more attractive option.
Chung works with North Korean defectors who have migrated to Canada. Through his research he found that North Koreans leave South Korea because of discrimination based on their North Korean heritage.
Subtle ways Canada is building up
relationships with North Korea
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