The Seoul Defense Dialogue 2016 officially kicked off Thursday to discuss continued and new security crises around the world, in particular North Korea’s evolving military threats with its recent barrage of missile tests.

The fifth annual talks were hosted by the South Korean Defense Ministry and brought together delegations from 34 countries and five international organizations under the theme “Complex Security Crisis, Challenges and Solutions.”

The opening ceremony, held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul, was attended by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, Defense Minister Han Min-koo, keynote speaker Ahmet Uzumcu, who heads the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons head, and some 300 participants.
The focal point of emphasis for many participants, especially the delegation from South Korea, is the ongoing North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

In a video message, President Park Geun-hye said the North’s provocations represent a blatant threat against the international society’s efforts toward peace.

“In order to address the North Korean nuclear issue that is threatening world peace, cooperation and unity of the international society is of the utmost importance,” Park said.

Hwang echoed the president’s remarks and called for tight cooperation among nations and regions against worldwide security issues, vowing that Seoul will actively participate in efforts to resolve North Korean nuclear programs, eradicate terrorism and deal with natural disasters and climate change.

Minister Han said that the world currently faces challenges ranging from the “traditional liabilities” of the North, to disputes among countries in the North East Asia region over territory and history-related issues, terrorism, along with cultural and religious conflicts leading to violence.

“Despite efforts by the international society to achieve peace, humanity still faces numerous challenges. ... The most pressing task in order to accomplish global peace and stability is (resolving) North Korea’s nuclear issue,” said Minister Han in his opening remarks.

“I hope that the SDD 2016 will provide insights for dealing with North Korean nuclear and missile programs, cyber threats and for achieving global peace,” Han said.

The OPCW Director-General Uzumcu stressed the importance of his organization’s chemical weapon convention that has seen 93 percent of declared chemical weapons destroyed to date. He mentioned the ongoing mission against Syria’s chemical weapons, adding that reports of a fact-finding mission has found likelihood of chlorine being used as a weapon and that the UNSC is expected to discuss follow-up measures.

“There nonetheless remains both new and unfinished business to attend to -- respectively, the specter of chemical terrorism and the contingency of having to eliminate other chemical weapons programs, which North Korea is widely suspected of operating,” he said.

The first plenary session was about the denuclearization of North Korea and international cooperation. North Korea is currently under UN Security Council resolutions that impose economic sanctions and bans it from carrying out any nuclear or ballistic missile programs.

David Shear, the US principal deputy under secretary of defense for policy, said that North Korean nuclear programs represent threats not only to South Korea, but also to Japan and the US, along with other countries in the region.

He reiterated that the US will not recognize Pyongyang as a nuclear state, saying that the US will use deterrence, pressure and diplomacy so Pyongyang “will not achieve prosperity while it flouts obligations.”

“The US will continue to further strengthen our defense of the ROK (South Korea),” he said.

With North Korean missile programs emerging as an imminent threat, local experts said that the gathering of defense officials from around the world can help boost security in the region.

“(The SDD) brings together high-ranking officials and experts from not only countries around the peninsula and Asia-Pacific, but also Europe and Americas to discuss specific plans of cooperation in defense and solutions to current crisis,” said Kim Chang-su, a senior fellow for the local think tank Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. “This will serve as a reminder of the grave nature of security issues and the potential of feasible solutions (discussed at the forum).”

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)