OSCE Asian Partnership exchanges experiences with the OSCE relating to confidence and security building measures, with focus on the situation on the Korean Peninsula

On 21 November 2022, an OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group discussion was organized in Vienna by the Swedish Chair of the Group in co-operation with the Republic of Korea to exchange experiences with the OSCE relating to confidence and security building measures with focus on the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

“The Cooperation with Asian partners is highly valuable. The Russian aggression against Ukraine has had a profound impact on security in the OSCE area and beyond. Sharing information and experiences from accountability mechanisms as well as confidence and security building measures is important,” said Ambassador Anna Olsson Vrang, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Asian Partners for Cooperation Group during the opening session.

“The OSCE’s experience and opinion, especially with regard to Confidence and Security Building Measures (CSBMs) cannot be treated as a silver bullet solution to the problems from outside their zone of application, nevertheless some lessons learned can be useful,” added Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council.

“As far as the CSBMs are concerned, the OSCE experience is both inspiring and grim. On the one hand, they contributed to an unprecedented period of stability in Europe after the Cold War. On the other, when one state – Russia – decided to question the security order based on the respect for the international law, they were unable to stop the military aggression,” he emphasized.

"The Korean government will work with the international community to respond firmly to any further provocation by North Korea, as peace on the Korean Peninsula is an important prerequisite for global peace and protects not only our freedom but also that of the international community. For sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast Asia, and beyond, the denuclearization of North Korea is essential,” said Ambassador Ham Sangwook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the OSCE

“We will continue our unwavering diplomatic efforts to induce North Korea to cease the development of its nuclear program and embark on a genuine and substantive process for denuclearization. Strong and united support from the international community, including the OSCE, is indispensable for the peaceful resolution of North Korea's nuclear issue", he added.

“Confidence and security building measures can never be stronger than the collective will of the signatories, and their readiness to be bound and guided by agreed provisions”, underlined Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

The following thematic discussion focused more in-depth on the topic with panellists including; Ms. Liu Myoung Jin, Director for Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kim Youngjun, Professor at the National Security College, and Dr. Ulrich Kühn, Head of the Research Area Arms Control and Emerging Technologies at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg.