Northeast Asian OSCE & Siegfried Hecker on the DPRK

15 Oct 2021 | APLN

15 October 2021

Dear Network Members and Colleagues,

This week we highlight two proposals for deescalating tensions in Northeast Asia. Dr. Siegfried Hecker writes on how the experience with denuclearizing former Soviet states can be applied to the DPRK, and Dr. Frances Mautner-Markhof suggests that the OSCE can serve as a model for Northeast Asian regional security cooperation. In our latest Pulse series, three space policy experts comment on the Outer Space Treaty at its 54th anniversary, and we also bring to you the latest APLN-Korea Times column by APLN member Dr. Nobumasa Akiyama.

Cooperative Threat Reduction: Comparing the Russian Experience with DPRK Challenges

This week, APLN published a special report by Dr. Siegfried Hecker, titled “Cooperative Threat Reduction: Comparing the Russian Experience with DPRK Challenges.”

The report discusses how the lessons learnt from the Russian Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) experience can be applied to North Korea. Recommendations include:

Eliminate North Korea’s chemical weapons as a confidence building step for nuclear disarmament.
Provide incentives for converting North Korea’s military and space programs to civilian programs.
Work with North Korea to identify training needs for personnel.
Focus on bilateral programs with either the US or the ROK, but welcome international participation.
Focus on cooperative rather than unilateral programs; clearly defined threats rather than grand political objectives, and reduction rather than the elimination of threats.

Read the Special Report

Comprehensive Security and Regional Cooperation in Northeast Asia

Today APLN published a policy brief by Dr. Frances Mautner-Markhof, Executive Director of the Austrian Center for International Studies (ACIS) in Vienna. In the brief Dr. Mautner-Markhof discusses why the OSCE-model can be applied to a multilateral security cooperation mechanism for Northeast Asia and recommends that like the OSCE it should be based on three key areas:

Important traditional and non-traditional security-related issues including transborder issues and threats.
Intensive and extensive cooperation in economic areas such as trade, investment and finance, as well as cooperation on energy and environmental issues.
Identifying fundamental principles, common interests and bridge-building.

Read the Policy Brief

Outer Space Treaty 54th Anniversary

On the 54th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty entering into force, APLN asked three experts on space policy, Ms. Anuradha Damale, Dr. Raji Rajagopalan, and Professor Jinyuan Su, to give their assessments on the challenges that the treaty is facing, and how those challenges should be addressed by the international community.

Read the Pulse

AUKUS as a catalyst for more strategy for Japan

On 13 October, APLN member Dr. Nobumasa Akiyama wrote for the APLN-Korea Times column. In the column, he discussed how AUKUS might act as a catalyst for Japan to review its strategic relationships in the Asia-Pacific region.

Read the APLN-Korea Times column

Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Weapon Use in Northeast Asia

From 8-12 October, APLN held three workshops with select experts and APLN members for its project, “Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Weapon Use in Northeast Asia (NU-NEA), conducted in collaboration with RECNA, the Nautilus Institute, and PSNA. The project aims to assist policymakers to identify ways to avoid a nuclear conflict and de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia by developing credible nuclear use cases and proposing policy solutions. Read more about the project here.

Workshop on the Amended Convention for the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials

On 12-14 October, APLN co-hosted an online workshop series together with the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and Pacific Forum on the Amended Convention for the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials (A/CPPNM). The workshop took place over three days, and participants provided perspectives from the region, and discussed challenges and ways to prepare for the upcoming Review Conference in 2022.

Strategic Risk Reduction and the P5 process
On 29 September, APLN Executive Director Shatabhisha Shetty participated in a panel discussion held by Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS) where she exchanged views with other experts on strategic risk reduction and the P5 process.
Read more

The Four Shadows Cast by AUKUS
On 11 October, APLN board member Professor Chungin Moon published his weekly column in Hankyoreh. He argued that the AUKUS deal creates four concerns for the US alliance system and the regional security order in the Asia-Pacific.
Read more

A ‘Taiwan’ Flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific
On 13 October, APLN member, former Indian Foreign Minister Shyam Saran contributed his analysis of the recent escalation of Chinese military activity around Taiwan to The Hindu. He argues that India must be mindful of Chinese and US interests in the region.
Read more (paywall)

Exploring the role of HCoC and other CBMs in the field of missiles
On 13 October, APLN Policy Fellow Dr. Tanvi Kulkarni gave a presentation on the role of the Hauge Code of Conduct and other confidence-building measures in the missile field at an online conference hosted by Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS).
Read more

Copyright © ASIA-PACIFIC LEADERSHIP NETWORK for NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION AND DISARMAMENT
All rights reserved.
102 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea (03169)
Tel: +82-2-2135-2170
Email: apln@apln.networkWant to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.