Keo-sil-ryun: 7 out of 10 Experts Respond 'Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula Impossible'

Results of survey of 45 people... 71% agree on 'ROK assuming wartime operational control within current administration'

Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice [Provided by Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice]A survey has revealed that 7 out of 10 experts believe denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is impossible.

The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (Koseil-ryun) held a press conference on the 24th at the Koseil-ryun auditorium in Jongno-gu to announce the results of a survey conducted among 45 experts from August 19th to September 1st.

The experts who participated in the survey were professors and university researchers in the fields of inter-Korean relations, security, and policy.

Of these, 77.3% (33 people) responded "impossible" when asked if denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was feasible. Those who answered "possible" accounted for 17.8% (8 people), and 8.9% (4 people) answered "don't know."

"This indicates that the perception that achieving complete denuclearization is difficult for the time being is dominant," Koseil-ryun explained. "It suggests the need to prioritize a phased approach, such as restoring communication lines, complying with military agreements, and operating buffer zones, in policy."

Regarding the timing of the transfer of wartime operational control, 71.1% (32 people) believed it should be done "within the current administration."

Those who stated it is necessary in the long term accounted for 24.4% (11 people), and 4.4% (2 people) responded "difficult" or "should not be transferred."

A total of 77.8% (44 people) responded "agree" to the legislative and normative implementation of inter-Korean agreements such as the Panmunjom Declaration and the September 19th Military Agreement. 20.0% (9 people) chose "conditional agreement."

For the operational direction of ROK-US combined training, 51.1% (23 people) chose "partial adjustment of timing and methods" as necessary.

"The Lee Jae-myung administration has expressed its intention to restore the September 19th Military Agreement and is concurrently implementing conciliatory measures such as prohibiting the distribution of leaflets and broadcasts towards North Korea, but the international situation in Northeast Asia surrounding the Korean Peninsula remains difficult," said Koseil-ryun.

They then urged the institutionalization of inter-Korean agreement implementation, the transfer of operational control within the current administration, the reduction/abolition of ROK-US combined training, and the clear definition of the mission scope of US Forces Korea. Yonhap News