A-bomb survivors welcome North Korea’s willingness to denuclearize
Apr. 28, 2018
by Kanako Noda, Yusuke Egawa, and Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writers
North Korea’s denuclearization was the focus of the summit that took place between North Korea and South Korea on April 27. The leaders of the two nations have agreed on the common goal of achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. While A-bomb survivors’ groups and experts in Hiroshima Prefecture welcomed the attitude of the two Koreas toward building peace, North Korea has not articulated any concrete steps toward this aim of denuclearization. Some view the summit between North Korea and the United States, to be held by early June, as the key to fulfilling this vision.
Kim Jin Ho, 72, the executive director of the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima, said that tears came to his eyes when he watched the two Korean leaders crossing the military demarcation line and shaking hands on television. “Considering the tensions of last year, when it seemed war might break out at any time, this is a completely different state of affairs, like heaven and hell,” he said. “I’m delighted at this development. It’s very encouraging to A-bomb survivors.”
The wording “complete denuclearization,” which the international community requires of North Korea, was contained in the joint declaration. Mr. Kim said, “From the statement, I could feel North Korea’s determination to denuclearize. I hope this will be advance peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.”
Keisaburo Toyonaga, 82, the head of the Hiroshima branch of the Association of Citizens for the Support of South Korean Atomic Bomb Victims, said, “The Japanese government should communicate with North Korea in various ways to resolve the issue of abducted Japanese nationals and help the A-bomb survivors there.”
Toshiyuki Mimaki, 76, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), welcomed the result of the talks because this is a “step forward to nuclear abolition.” However, he added, “It’s up to the United States whether or not North Korea really goes ahead and destroys all the nuclear weapons it possesses,” placing his hopes on the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 73, the chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo, speculated that “North Korea did not refer to concrete steps toward denuclearization because the U.S.-North Korea summit is coming up.”
Son Hyun Jin, 46, an associate professor of the Hiroshima Peace Institute at Hiroshima City University, is an expert on North Korean issues and previously worked as a specialist for South Korea’s Ministry of Unification. He pointed to policy that would turn the armistice into a peace treaty, as North Korea’s nuclear development program has been viewed as a means of involving the United States in peace treaty negotiations that could ensure the continuance of its current regime.
He said, “That makes it all the more important for the United States to agree to the negotiations to establish a peace treaty while, at the same time, getting North Korea to take concrete action toward denuclearization.” He will watch closely whether measures to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear development facilities are included in the agreement reached at the planned meeting between the United States and North Korea.
(Originally published on April 28, 2018)
North Korea’s denuclearization was the focus of the summit that took place between North Korea and South Korea on April 27. The leaders of the two nations have agreed on the common goal of achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. While A-bomb survivors’ groups and experts in Hiroshima Prefecture welcomed the attitude of the two Koreas toward building peace, North Korea has not articulated any concrete steps toward this aim of denuclearization. Some view the summit between North Korea and the United States, to be held by early June, as the key to fulfilling this vision.
Kim Jin Ho, 72, the executive director of the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima, said that tears came to his eyes when he watched the two Korean leaders crossing the military demarcation line and shaking hands on television. “Considering the tensions of last year, when it seemed war might break out at any time, this is a completely different state of affairs, like heaven and hell,” he said. “I’m delighted at this development. It’s very encouraging to A-bomb survivors.”
The wording “complete denuclearization,” which the international community requires of North Korea, was contained in the joint declaration. Mr. Kim said, “From the statement, I could feel North Korea’s determination to denuclearize. I hope this will be advance peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.”
Keisaburo Toyonaga, 82, the head of the Hiroshima branch of the Association of Citizens for the Support of South Korean Atomic Bomb Victims, said, “The Japanese government should communicate with North Korea in various ways to resolve the issue of abducted Japanese nationals and help the A-bomb survivors there.”
Toshiyuki Mimaki, 76, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), welcomed the result of the talks because this is a “step forward to nuclear abolition.” However, he added, “It’s up to the United States whether or not North Korea really goes ahead and destroys all the nuclear weapons it possesses,” placing his hopes on the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 73, the chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo, speculated that “North Korea did not refer to concrete steps toward denuclearization because the U.S.-North Korea summit is coming up.”
Son Hyun Jin, 46, an associate professor of the Hiroshima Peace Institute at Hiroshima City University, is an expert on North Korean issues and previously worked as a specialist for South Korea’s Ministry of Unification. He pointed to policy that would turn the armistice into a peace treaty, as North Korea’s nuclear development program has been viewed as a means of involving the United States in peace treaty negotiations that could ensure the continuance of its current regime.
He said, “That makes it all the more important for the United States to agree to the negotiations to establish a peace treaty while, at the same time, getting North Korea to take concrete action toward denuclearization.” He will watch closely whether measures to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear development facilities are included in the agreement reached at the planned meeting between the United States and North Korea.
(Originally published on April 28, 2018)
