The U.S. Role in a New Vision for Peace in Northeast Asia: | Policy

Details: Category: Policy

Korean Leaders' Forum

South Korea's former minister of unification Chung Dong-young argues that the urgent task in Northeast Asia is to overcome on-going Cold War tensions and to work towards the reunification of the two Koreas. Chung believes that the new U.S. administration will play a decisive role in eliminating nuclear weapons programs on the Korean peninsula and ushering in a "Fourth Wave" of cooperation in the region. In this new phase, the current state of antagonism between the North and the South would be progressively transformed into a partnership for regional peace that would contribute to the improvement of U.S.-Northeast Asia relations.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

with

Chung Dong-young
Former Minister of Unification of South Korea
2007 Democratic Presidential Candidate of South Korea
Visiting Scholar of Public Policy, Duke University

About the Speaker
Chung Dong-young served as South Korea's minister of Unification from April 2004 to December 2005, and ran for president of South Korea in 2007 as the candidate of the United New Democratic Party (UNDP). Before holding his ministerial post, he served two terms in the National Assembly with the National Congress for New Politics and the Millennium Democratic Party respectively. He was also twice chairman of the Uri Party. During his tenure as minister of Unification, Chung was a strong supporter of the Sunshine Policy. He has met with Kim Jong-Il in North Korea several times and has facilitated the development of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and other inter-Korean economic projects. Chung played a critical role in reuniting families divided during the Korean War.

Chung holds a bachelor's degree in Korean history from Seoul National University and a master's from the University of Wales. Before entering politics, Chung was a journalist and anchorman for the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). He covered the May 18 pro-democracy movement in Kwangju, the Gulf War and German reunification. He was imprisoned twice for pro-democratic activities.