A Northeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone at the New Stage of the Development in Global Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation

Given the increased tension in the Northeast Asia region, dependence on nuclear deterrence is becoming stronger among countries in the region. There is now a new urgency to look at North Korean nuclear weapon program with serious attention. The DPRK has signaled it may be ready to resume negotiation. It is clear that engagement of the DPRK is essential to resolve this stalemate and such engagement cannot be limited to just nuclear and missile issues but should extend to a more comprehensive agenda. This paper proposes a comprehensive approach towards establishing Northeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, in which three countries (the DPRK, the ROK and Japan) declare non-nuclear weapon status and the other three nuclear weapon states (the United States, Russia and China) provide negative security assurances under the legally binding treaty. The comprehensive approach also includes agreement on; 1) termination of Korean War, 2) equal access to all forms of energy 3) establishment of a permanent Northeast Asia Security Council. It is essential for non-governmental actors to initiate regional confidence-building process on Track 2 level. The authors hope such process, called the “Nagasaki Process” will become a new platform for security dialogue among interested parties in the region, eventually leading to peace and security of Northeast Asia, contributing to global efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons.