Hypersonics, Fukushima, Jeju Forum, and the NPT crisis

18 Jun 2021 | APLN

18 June 2021

Dear Network Members and Colleagues,

This week we feature a commentary on the risks and implications of Australia’s hypersonic weapons, Pulse analyses on Japan’s recent decision to release wastewater from its Fukushima nuclear power plant, an APLN-Korea Times column by APLN member Rakesh Sood offering a candid assessment of the NPT’s challenges, and member activities.

Australia, Hypersonic Weapons, and Arms Control in the Asia-Pacific

In the latest APLN commentary, Dr. Tanya Ogilvie-White examines Australia’s plans to develop hypersonic weapons. She outlines the risks and implications, and argues for greater dialogue between experts and practitioners and for the use of regional forums to provide and prioritize arms control rather than arms racing in the Asia-Pacific.

Read Commentary

NPT’s Midlife Crisis

In the latest APLN column for The Korea Times published on 16 June, APLN member and former Indian Ambassador to the UN, Rakesh Sood provides a frank assessment of the NPT, arguing that it delegitimized proliferation but not nuclear weapons. He argues that a mindset change is necessary to overcome the current crisis, including accepting the NPT’s limitations and seeking constructive dialogue with ban treaty proponents. Read more

Is the Release of Fukushima Water a Transboundary Issue?

APLN members and experts offer their assessments on the environmental and political implications of Japan’s recent decision to release 1.25 million tons of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean.

This week features Dr. Sang Hyun Lee, President at the Sejong Institute and President of Korea Nuclear Policy Society; Mr. Hajime Matsukubo, General-secretary of the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center (CNIC), Ambassador Nobuyasu Abe, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs; and Dr. Ken Buesseler, Senior Scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

The Pulse

On 24-26 June, APLN and the Jeju Peace Institute will be hosting special online sessions for Jeju Forum 2021. The theme of this year’s annual conference is “Sustainable Peace, Inclusive Prosperity” featuring APLN members, senior officials and experts from across the globe. The APLN sessions will be broadcast on the following days and times on YouTube.

Session 1: The China-US Strategic Rivalry and Consequences for the Asia Pacific Region, featuring Professor Chung-in Moon (Moderator), APLN Chair Gareth Evans, Professor Graham Allison, Major General (Ret.) Yunzhu Yao, and former Minister Sung-hwan Kim on Thursday, 24 June at 10:50-12:10 KST.

Session 2: Mitigating Existential Catastrophic Risks: Addressing the Nexus Between Pandemics, Nuclear Dangers, and Climate Change, featuring APLN Director Shata Shetty (Moderator), Dr. Peter Hayes, Professor Vivian Lin, and former Minister Tuya Nyamosor on Thursday, June 24th at 13:30-14:50 KST.

Session 3: Nuclear Hotlines and Risk Reduction: Past Experiences and Lessons from the Asia-Pacific, featuring Dr. Tanya Ogilvie-White (Moderator), Professor Chung-in Moon, Dr. Peter Hayes, Mr. Philip Reiner, and Professor Jishe Fan on Thursday, 24 June at 17:10-18:30 KST.

Session 4: The DPRK Nuclear Quagmire and the Biden Administration, featuring Ms. Angela Kane (Moderator), Mr. Frank Aum, Professor Dingli Shen, and Professor Bong-geun Jun on Friday, June 25th at 09:00-10:20 KST.

Session 5: Assessing Emerging Technology Developments and the Impact on Nuclear Weapon Risks, featuring APLN Director Shata Shetty, Dr. Namrata Goswami, Dr. Manpreet Sethi, Dr. Tong Zhao, and High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu on Friday, June 25th at 10:50-12:10 KST.

For more information, please visit our website.

Northeast Asia Must Avoid “Nuclear Domino Effect”
On 3 June, APLN Vice Chair and Professor Chung-in Moon was featured in The Asia Times. Prof. Moon argues that a new security dialogue framework is needed as strategic risks rise across Northeast Asia. He suggested six-party negotiations involving China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the United States to denuclearize North Korea and discuss ways for greater stability in the region. Read moreRevisit Role of Nuclear Weapons to Make the Right Choices
On 12 June, APLN Board Member Manpreet Sethi wrote for The Sunday Guardian discussing India’s nuclear weapons developments. She argues that nuclear weapons generate greater risk than utility especially amidst tense relations with China and Pakistan. Read moreFour Idols of South Korea-US Alliance Advocates
On 14 June, Professor Chung-in Moon article was featured in The Hankyoreh. He applies Francis Bacon’s four idols of the mind – tribe, the cave, the marketplace, and the theatre to assess arguments made by some politicians, commentators, and media outlets on the recent Moon and Biden Summit. Read more

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