South Korea Position Paper

The world in the 21st century has entered an era of globalization never seen before.
Globalization, no matter how many positive effects it brings to the worlds nations, spreads
technology and ideologies that threaten global security and encourage war. Consequently, the
south Korea strongly supports strengthening the role of the United Nations in preventative
diplomacy and peacemaking.
South Korea feels that diplomacy and peacemaking is essential in creating a safe and
productive world. Our neighbor, North Korea, has now gained the weaponry considered to be a
threat to our security. In the summer of 2006, North Korea launched test missiles capable of
reaching U.S. territory; if North Koreas weapons are capable of reaching United States territory,
then those weapons have the ability to strike the south Korea. South Korea is relatively small and
relies on the United States for its protection. Military engagement, although tempting, is not a
viable solution to create a safer, more secure South Korea because our main threat is from our
neighboring country. If military action were to occur, the casualty number on both sides of the
DMZ would pale in comparison to those of the Israeli/Lebanon conflict occurring in summer
2006.
Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are extremely important to South Korea.
Since we are indeed threatened by weapons of mass destruction from North Korea, South Korea
feels that disarmament is essential to achieve global security. The south Korea has complied with
all major international disarmament and non-proliferation treaties, including the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty (NPT), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Biological Weapons
Convention (BWC), and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Our commitment to
abolishing WMDs also includes abolishment of biological and chemical weapons. These
weapons are in many ways more destructive than nuclear weapons, which is why South Korea
belongs to such organizations as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW).
South Korea, through its membership in the Security Council and Special Committee on
Peacekeeping Operations, is greatly committed to using diplomacy to solve conflicts, both
regional and global. Also, as a large contributor of peacekeeping troops to the UN peacekeeping
budget, South Korea wants to ensure that the people it sends out are not put in danger while
working on peacekeeping operations. Many of these troops are indeed working in the medical
and engineering fields, helping establish basic necessities to areas in need. This is part of a stepby-step approach that would allow for an international effort to work together to help stabilize
rogue nations and disarm them to create global stability. The act of peacekeeping implies that
participating nations work to bring back normal life to countries that are being disarmed to
prevent increased hostilities which in turn cause global stability problems.
Terrorism proves to be a challenge in relation to preventative diplomacy and
peacemaking. Terrorists and their affiliated organizations aspire to gain WMDs that can cause
great harm to their intended targets. The south Korea is working with other countries to solve
standing terrorism-related issues, but also feels that terrorists/terrorist organizations gaining
WMDs can be prevented by prohibiting countries from developing nuclear technology.
Preventative diplomacy and peacemaking requires that South Korea, along with other
nations, work together to both disarm rogue nations in possession of technology that can be
used to create WMDs and to prevent countries or organizations aspiring to gain such technology
from actually doing so. Our position is clear: the south Korea fully endorses strengthening the
role of the United Nations in preventative diplomacy and peacemaking.