United Nations Security Council

Crisis: The Korean Peninsula

ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
UNSC UNSC Study Guide
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Welcome Note [1/2]

Dear Honourable Delegates,

It is with great delight and excitement that we welcome you all to the very first University
of London Model United Nations Conference (ULMUN). We, your dais team, would
also like to welcome you all to take part in our United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
joint Korean crisis simulation.

This study guide will provide a brief introduction of the Korean peninsulas history,
political background, and current circumstances. Furthermore, it also contains regional
bloc positions for you all to keep in mind whilst debating the topic. Last but not least, we
have provided further reading links to additional resources on the Internet. That being
said, we would like to strongly recommend all to do additional research on the topic as
this will best prepare you all for committee.

Your dais team is extremely excited to not only witness and moderate your actions but
also meet each and every one of you. We come from different backgrounds but we all
share a common passion for international relations and politics! Here is a little a bit of
information about us:

Jackson Webster, a Los Angeles native, will be one of your co-chairs for the UNSC
Crisis committee. Jackson is currently a second year reading International Relations in
the War Studies Department at Kings College London. He has participated in Model
United Nations on both the high school level in the United States and the university level
in England and in Europe, most notably at Harvard WorldMUN 2014 held in Brussels,
Belgium.

Alexander Chu, an American-born Taiwanese from Houston, Texas, will be your other
UNSC crisis committee co-chairs. Alexander is currently a second year undergraduate
reading biomedicine at the University College London. Furthermore, he is strongly
interested in a career in international health policy. Like his co-chair, he has taken part of
MUN on a high school level in the United States and has taken part in many
international conferences in Europe.

We hope this topic guide will serve as a stepping-stone for further research and
preparation. Last but not least, we wish you all the best until we reconvene for debate in
late October!
Best regards,
Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
UNSC UNSC Study Guide
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Introduction [1/2]

Introduction:

In the traditional concept of war, there
is a clear sequence of events. Hostilities
begin, the war is fought, and finally a
peace is negotiated. The Korean
Conflict deviates from this model in its
lack of conclusion; it is unique in that no
final peace settlement has ever been
reached. There has existed a relative
state of peace in the Koreas due to a
ceasefire brokered in 1953, which
roughly follows the 38th Parallel used as
a border from the end of the Second
World War until the outbreak of the
Korean War. Despite this agreement,
there have been isolated events of
sporadic violence in the Demilitarized
Zone (DMZ) and dispute islands since
the cessation of violence in July 1953.
These incidents combined with
continued nuclear testing by the DPRK
the overarching tenuous nature of the
current peace have stalled previous
attempts at a resolution to the conflict.

Topic Background:

Attempts at permanent peace have
recently been centred on the Six Party
Talks, established in 2003 as a response
to the DPRKs withdrawal from the
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Proceedings are held between the RoK,
the DPRK, the Peoples Republic of
China (PRC), the United States, Japan,
and the Russian Federation. Despite 5
rounds of talks between 2003 and 2007,
no significant progress has been made.
During the fifth round of talks, the
DPRK agreed to shut down its nuclear
facilities in exchange for fuel aid and
dtente with the United States and Japan.
This apparent step forward was reversed
on 14 April 2009 when, a failed satellite
launch by Pyongyang was condemned
by the Security Council as a violation of
S/Res/1718 (2006) -unanimously
passed- which issued sanctions against
the DPRK as reparation for a secret
nuclear test in 2006 and prohibited the
North from acquiring intercontinental
ballistic missile (ICBM) technology. The
DPRK immediately announced its
withdrawal from the Six Party Talks and
is recommencement of its uranium
enrichment programme.

As of January 2014, the United States
maintains a combat force of 29,300
soldiers along the ROKs side of the
DMZ, making it one of the largest
standing long-term deployments of US
forces abroad. Pyongyang has
consistently used this deployment as a
propaganda tool, claiming that the
Korean War of the 1950s was caused by
American aggression, the result of which
has been an American occupation of
the South. Thus, aggression in the
regimes rhetoric is not focused
completely at the South, but rather at
the United States, creating a securitised
justification for the regimes continued
existence. This outwardly hostile
narrative has contributed to the
continuation of tensions. The DPRKs
rhetoric has escalated in recent years as
numerous events have destabilised their
position. An embarrassing failed satellite
launch in 2009 was followed by Kim
Jong-Ils death in 2011. Regime change
did not bring about the rapprochement
desired by the international community,
and the Norths aggression further
escalated in 2013 coinciding with
administration changes in the United
States, Japan, and the RoK. The North
continues towards desperation and
isolation today as their only major ally,
China, has gradually withdrawn support.
China voted for sanctions against the
DPRK in the UNSC in S/Res/1718
(2006) condemning the Norths first
nuclear test, S/Res/1874 (2009)
condemning a rocket launch and
continued nuclear tests after a Northern
withdrawal from the NPT, and
ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
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Introduction [2/2]


S/Res/2087 (2013) condemning the
DPRKs successful satellite launch in
violation of resolution 1718 and 1874.
As Pyongyang finds itself more
impoverished, with fewer friends
internationally, and sees a developing
black market penetration containing
goods shipped across the border from
an increasingly capitalist China.

Here are some several key questions that
need to be considered when debating
the crisis.















1. Knowing DPRKs volatile behaviour, what is the appropriate way to negotiate
and compromise with them?
2. What are the DPRKs military capabilities? How far will it go to use them? What
are the precautionary measures needed to be taken into account when
formulating an appropriate response?
3. After the crisis, what will be the new relationships be like between the DPRK
and its allies? Its enemies?
4. What can the UNSC and the international community do to mediate between the
crises? Would the resolutions and policies be effective?























ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
UNSC UNSC Study Guide
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Regional Positions [1/3]

China and Russia:

China is the DPRKs longest standing
ally. After the DPRKs creation in 1945,
the communist states of the Peoples
Republic of China and the Soviet Union
were North Koreas main allies, helping
Kim Il Sung during the 1950-53 Korean
war. They further assisted the Norths
economic recovery after the war ended.
In 1961, the North and the Soviet
Union signed mutual security treaties
that were never formally ended. In the
same year, China has also signed a
mutual aid treaty whereby they promised
to give North Korea full military
assistance and any other help needed in
case of an outside attack. The treaty was
extended twice, and as the last time was
in 2001, it will be valid until 2021.

China and the DPRK share a border
1,416 km long, which mostly follows the
course of the Yalu and Tumen rivers.
With a considerable number of North
Koreans trying to illegally cross the
border into a more wealthy China,
border control has been stepped up in
recent years, with China building a 20km
fence along more easily accessible areas
and the responsibility for securing the
border having been transferred from the
police to the army.

Recently, China has become increasingly
frustrated with the Norths nuclear
programme, which has increased tension
worldwide. In 2013, Yang Jiechi, Chinas
foreign minister, declared that he
opposed the most recent nuclear tests
conducted by the North. Although both
Russia and China condemn North
Koreas nuclear tests, they also said that
any military action against them had to
be decided upon by the UN. Neither
country wants any military intervention
in North Korea and both would
probably be prepared to veto the
motion if it was discussed by the UNSC.

Another important factor in Sino-
North Korean relations is trade. China is
North Koreas largest trade partner and
provides over half of North Koreas
imports, receiving a quarter of its
exports. Economically speaking, with
yearly bilateral trade at around $6 billion,
China is the DPRKs biggest trading
partner even though the sum traded is
small compared to Chinas overall trade
statistics.

European Countries:

France, along with Estonia, is one of the
only EU countries that doesnt maintain
diplomatic relations with the DPRK.
France has stated that it will only
consider improving diplomatic relations
with the DPRK if it abandons its
nuclear weapons program and improves
its human rights record. Sweden, in
contrast, was the first Western country
to open an embassy in North Korea.
Through the embassy, they represent
Australian, Canadian, Finnish and, to a
certain extent, American interests in the
country. The UK established diplomatic
relations with North Korea in 2000, but
is stands firmly by its position of nuclear
disarmament.

Pakistan, Iran, Vietnam friendly
relations with the DPRK

Relations between these three countries
are generally good. It is thought that
North Korea contributed to the
development of both Pakistan and
Irans nuclear programme, with further
arms trade between the DPRK and Iran.
Pakistan shares good trade and
diplomatic relations with the DPRK,

Regional Positions [2/3]
ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
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and North Korea helps Iran in their
education and science programs.
Vietnams relations with the DPRK are
mostly positive, and started when North
Korea sent troops, weapons,
ammunitions and many other resources
to help them in the Vietnam war.
Vietnam also has a history of sending
students to go study in North Korea
and several Vietnamese politicians went
to university in Pyongyang.

Japan:

North Korea has been hostile to Japan
since it ruled over Korea between 1910
and 1945. To this day, Japan refuses to
recognise North Korea as a country.
The two countries have managed to
have some discussions through the six-
party talks, but relations have not
improved.

India:

Indias relations with North Korea have
been improving. North Koreans also go
to India for training in areas of IT and
science, and trade between the two
countries is about half a billion dollars.
While India did not take part in the
Korean War (it only sent a medical unit
for humanitarian purposes), relations
between the two countries are at times
strained because of North Koreas
positive relationship with Pakistan.

Republic of Korea:

From the end of the Korean war until
the 1980s, South Korean politics were
mostly dominated by right wing parties
whose policies were centred around the
necessity of a close relationship with the
states, and the eventual unification of
Korea under a capitalist and liberal
regime. As a younger generation
emerged, the government became more
left-leaning: unification was no longer a
priority, even becoming associated with
economic hardship due to what
occurred during the unification of East
and West Germany. In 1997, Kim Dae
Jung was elected as president of South
Korea and implemented the Sunshine
policy. The policy put forth the idea
that, if a soft approach was taken with
North Korea, they could be persuaded
to introduce gradual reforms and this
would eventually open the way to future
unification. Considerable aid was given
to the North as part of this policy, and
joint North-South economic projects
were launched. One of these was the
Kaesong Industrial Zone (KIZ), a joint
venture whereby South Korean
companies would move to the zone, set
up factories, and employ cheap North
Korean labour to manufacture their
goods. The KIZ is located 10 km from
the DMZ, inside North Korea, and
around 800-900 South Korean workers
supervise operations.

The sunshine era came to an end in
2006, as South Korea suspended
shipments of aid to the North after they
conducted nuclear and missile tests.
Relations between the two Koreas have
further deteriorated following the
Norths continuation of these strikes.

Although the Souths only land border is
with North Korea, the two countries are
clearly separated by the DMZ, which is
250km long and about 4km wide, and
runs across the entire border. While the
border is the most heavily militarised in
the world, skirmishes and attempted
infiltration by Northerners persist, and
to date, four infiltration tunnels created
by the North and capable of allowing
the passage of entire infantry divisions
have been discovered.



Regional Positions [3/3]
ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
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Both China and the US are important
trade partners for South Korea, with
China being the main recipient of the
RoKs exports. South Korean annual
trade amounts to around $60 billion
annually with the US, and $32.5 billion
with China.

United States:

While the political position of the states
relative to North Korea was long shaped
by the remnants of the cold war, in
recent years, it has become defined by
the DPRKs development of nuclear
weapons, long-range missiles and on-
going threats of strikes against the US.
The two countries currently hold no
diplomatic relations, with Sweden
representing US interests in North
Korea.

While policies regarding North Korea
have varied over the years, with
attempts at appeasement and
cooperation through the Agreed
Framework of 1994, through to the
low-lenience approach of the Bush
Administration which made the
denuclearisation of the North its
primary goal, suspending aid and
freezing North Korean financial assets.
With Bush policies failing to achieve the
desired result, six-party talks that had
been started in 2003 were resumed as a
plausible way forward, and US foreign
aid was renewed in exchange of North
Koreas theoretical commitment to
eventual nuclear disarmament.

The US and South Korea have been in a
military alliance since 1953, and
approximately 29,000 US troops are
stationed in the country. While from
1958 to 1991, the US had nuclear
weapons stationed in South Korea to be
used against the North if necessary,
these have now been removed although
they still maintain a guarantee to protect
the South with nuclear weapons in the
event of aggression from Pyongyang.
ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
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Cabinet Positions [1/1]

During the crisis, you all will be playing the role of a significant individual related to the
crisis. Each individual serves a unique role in the overall cabinet function as mentioned
in the descriptions of each cabinet member. You will be tasked to coordinate and cooper
with other members to resolve the crisis. Here is a list of the cabinet positions:

[Chair] Chairman of the Politburo
[Chair] Deputy Chairman of the Politburo
Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un
Premier, Pak Pong-ju
Vice Marshal of the KPA, Hwang Pyong-so
Minister of Peoples Armed Forces (Defence), Yong Yong-chol
Minister of State Security (Secret Police), Kim Won-hong
Minster of Peoples Security (Internal Affairs), Choe Pu-il
Head of the Strategic Rocket Forces, Kim Rak-gyom
Director of the RGB (Reconnaissance General Bureau), Kim Yong Chol
Minister of Finance, Choe Kwang-Jing
Minster of Foreign Affairs, Ri Su Yong
Minister of Propaganda, Kim Ki-nam
Minster of External Economic Affairs, Ri Ryong Nam
Minster of Labour, Jong Yong-su
Minister of Public Health, Kang Ha-guk
Minster of Atomic Energy Industry, Ri Je-son
Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Pak Kil-yon



















Further Readings [1/1]

Recent UNSC Resolutions:
ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
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http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/UN-Security-Council-Resolutions-on-North-
Korea

North Korean economy:
http://ifes.kyungnam.ac.kr/eng/FRM/FRM_0101V.aspx?code=FRM140904_0001

The DPRKs black market: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/yeon-mi-park-
the-hopes-of-north-koreas-black-market-generation/2014/05/25/dcab911c-dc49-11e3-
8009-71de85b9c527_story.html

American presence along the DMZ: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/08/us-
korea-usa-troops-idUSBREA061AU20140108

Note: There is plenty of literature pertaining to Korean international relations on the
Internet and in hard text. The links above are simply guidelines to help you with your
direction of research. Best of luck and study up!
ULMUN Alexander Chu and Jackson Webster
UNSC UNSC Study Guide
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