Foreign Affairs, Nuclear Weapons

Living History with Minister Song Min-soon

November 13, 2019

Negotiating the September 19 Joint Statement

This Living History interview features Song Min-soon, the former South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the National Security Advisor to President Roh Moo-hyun (2006- 2008). He was director general for North American affairs and South Korean chief delegate during the Six-Party Talks in 2005. He played a key role in the multilateral denuclearization agreement with North Korea, involving the United States, Japan, South Korea, China, and Russia, achieved in September 2005.

In this interview, Minister Song describes how each six-party member’s distinct role and agenda contributed to the talks. As the head of the South Korean delegation, he worked with other members to achieve the agreement that came to be known as the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement. This joint statement set out terms for the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs. It also defined denuclearization as the “abandonment of all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs” in return for security guarantees, energy assistance, and normalization of relations. The agreement led to North Korea’s shut down of its plutonium production plant at Yongbyon in 2007; on-site inspections by nuclear experts of the six-party countries; the surrender of operating records; and the destruction of the cooling tower at the nuclear plant. In the interview, Minister Song reflects on the highs and lows of the negotiation process, why the agreement faltered, and what we can learn from this experience. Please see below for more on this unique and personal interview with former minister Song Min-soon.1

Minister Song Min-soon is the former minister of foreign affairs and trade in the administration of President Roh Moo-Hyun from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that, he served as President Roh’s national security advisor. From 2008 to 2012, he was a member of the National Assembly, serving on the Unification, Affairs, and Trade Committee. He was also president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul from 2014 to 2017.

A career diplomat, Song was the chief negotiator in the six party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue when the September 19 joint statement on denuclearizing the Korean peninsula was adopted in 2005. He also participated in other negotiations including the Korean peace talks in Geneva (1999) and the Inter-Korean defense ministers’ talks (2000). He served as the ambassador to Poland from 2001 to 2003. He also served in Korean missions to Germany, India, United States, and Singapore. His Foreign Ministry appointments include deputy minister for political affairs and director general for North American affairs.

Song received his B.A. in German literature and linguistics from Seoul National University.

Jane Lee is a program coordinator in the Korea Chair and helped with the production of this post.

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References

  1. The authors wish to thank Sera Song, an intern in the CSIS Korea Chair, for her invaluable assistance in support of this project. ↩