February 12, 2021

Dear Network Members and Colleagues,

We would like to share with you the news that from next week our distinguished Executive Director and Vice-Chair, Professor Chung-in Moon, will be stepping down as Executive Director to serve as the new full-time Chair of the Sejong Institute. He will continue at APLN as an active and visible Vice-Chair working with the board and APLN team.

The APLN Board have agreed to appoint Ms Shatabhisha Shetty to the role of interim Executive Director. Shata has served as Senior Adviser and Communications Director to the APLN since October 2020 and comes to the position with over a decade of experience working on nuclear, defence and security issues and running APLN’s sister organisation, the European Leadership Network, as the former Deputy Director.

Professor Chung-in Moon says,
“It has been a pleasure leading the APLN, establishing it as independent Seoul-based organisation with a new team and research programmes. I remain deeply committed to the work and mission at APLN and I am fully confident that it will continue to flourish under Shata’s capable leadership.”

Ms Shata Shetty says,
“It is a privilege to be appointed this role and lead an organisation with such an esteemed network across the Asia-Pacific committed tackling existential challenges. I congratulate Chung-in on his new appointment and look forward to working with him, as well as our Chair, board and network as we begin this new chapter at APLN.”

APLN Chair and former Foreign Minister, Professor Gareth Evans commemorates the vast contribution by former US Secretary of State, George Shultz to nuclear diplomacy and disarmament as the world mourns his passing. He shares:

‘A Republican who always put principle before partisanship, a military veteran and Cold War realist who never lost his idealistic hopes for a better world, a hugely competent statesman in multiple roles over many years, and a thoroughly decent human being, George Shultz’s was the crucial voice in reinforcing Ronald Reagan’s instinct – so movingly articulated in his joint statement with Mikhail Gorbachev at Reykjavik thirty-five years ago – that ‘nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought.’

Read Commemoration

Network Member Activities

International Organizations in WMD Compliance and Enforcement
APLN member Dr Trevor Findlay wrote for the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) on the role of international organizations and challenges they face in monitoring and verifying state compliance on weapons of mass destruction. He elaborates on how multilateral verification bodies deal with compliance and enforcement, and ways in which they can influence member states and the broader international community. Read more

Perspectives on the Logic of Strategic Arms Control
On 29 January, UNIDIR published a paper by APLN board member Dr Tong Zhao with Lewis A. Dunn and Andrey Baklitskiy. This paper outlines American, Russian, and Chinese perspectives on arms control, and is based on the “Disarmament, Deterrence, and Strategic Arms Control Dialogue” hosted in July 2020 which includes APLN board member Dr Manpreet Sethi’s commentary. Read more

Biden, Asia, and the Politics of Nuclear Arms Control
On 4 February, APLN member Dr. C. Raja Mohan wrote for Foreign Policy on the Biden administration’s commitment to nuclear arms control in light geopolitical tensions between the US and China, fractious domestic politics and the implications for nuclear stability. Read more

The Man with a Plan for Korean Peninsula Peace
On 8 February, Prof Chung-in Moon’s first interview with The Asia Times was published. In this piece, Prof Moon discusses his experiences as the only South Korean to have attended every one of the presidential-level inter-Korean summits. He elaborates on meetings with key figures such as Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un, and Kim Yo-jung. Read more

APLN Internship Opportunity

The APLN is looking to hire two interns based in Seoul for its Spring Internship Programme 2021. We are seeking smart, energetic and capable individuals who can assist with research, events organisation, social media and more. Applications will be accepted until 23 February KST. Please refer to APLN’s website for more information and see below for an interview with one of our current interns, Suheun Kim.

Suheun Kim shares her experiences as an APLN intern during Fall 2020.

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