2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit preparing team spokeswoman Han-Chung hi answering to questions

2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit preparing team spokeswoman Han-Chung hi answering to questions

Q : It is the second time holding a nuclear security summit right after the last year April at Washington D.C. What is the meaning of 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit?

A : Referring this summit, president Barack Obama made a speech at april, 2009 in Praha, Czech. Firstly reinforce weak point of nuclear security, and ultimately making a world without nuclear weapon. At that time, second place holding the next nuclear summit was set to Seoul, ROK in 2012. And in Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, efforts made between these 2 years will be evaluated and checked. In 2009, many nations pledged regarding nuclear security, and in 2012 same process will occur adding some new pledges. Also 50 heads of nations will discuss the threat which nuclear terror and radioactive terror connotes. As a holding state, we are part of leading role. We are doing our best.

Q: How is the Chairman country decided?


A: The chairman country is normally decided through discussions between the first chairman country U.S. and many other countries. The reasons we were decided to be the chairman country are because of the part that we kept a firm engagement on the Nuclear Non-proliferation in the international society, the part that we are the powerful nation in the nuclear energy sector possessing 21 nuclear power plants and the fact that we recently exported nuclear energy plants to UAE. And the success host of G20 Seoul Summit has proved that Korea is a capable nation for hosting such international events as the bridge between advanced countries and developing countries. The close relationship between the President Lee Myung Bak and the U.S. President Barak Obama also had a huge effect on the decision as the President Obama actually suggested to the related staffs that Korea should be the next chairman country.

Q: It is said that this summit is the biggest summit to be held in a capital city which will begin on 26th March for 2 days. What is the current status of the participating nations and organisations?


A: At the G20 last year, 30 nations including the international organisations and the special inviting nations, had participated, and at the Washington Nuclear Security Summit, 50 nations, 47 nations and 3 international organisations, had participated. This time few more nations will be added and it is expected that 55 to 60 nations will be participating which is almost the double of G20's participation. This sets the record which will not be broken for a long time. The participating nations consist of the P5(5 nuclear power nations), countries with nuclear energy capability but not possessing any nuclear weapons, countries possessing uranium, representative nations of each region, the 3 nations(India, Pakistan, Israel) that did not sign NPT and the International organisations such as U.N., IAEA, EU and this time also Interpol. All the participating nations and organisations together represent more than 80% of the world population and more than 90% of the world's total GNP which basically means that almost every country in the world will be participating.

Q. Which agendas will be discussed at Seoul summit ?


A. There are basic agendas that had been discussed at Washington summit which are  prevention of nuclear terrorism, nuclear materials, the defense of nuclear facilities, prevention of illegal trade among the nations and so on. And there will be analysis and evaluation between repensetatives regarding process and results for last two years. when Washington summit was declaratory , Seoul summit attract special attention as implementation stage for detail progress. The special agenda to be discuss at Seoul summit is the safety concerns after Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in March.
Though discussions, the importance of nuclear energy will be reminded so that reliability could be restored. Terror problem about radioactive substance which has received less attention at Washington summit, will be handled aggressively at Seoul summit.

Q. This morning AP broadcasted that U.S. would announce food aid within this week and North Korea would also announce tentative suspension of  uranium enrichment. This implies green light regarding the six-party talks, and will this also have positive effect on the Summit?


A: Yes, we are sharing that view too. The North Korea's nuclear problem is a core issue regarding nuclear nonproliferation and an issue we have interest on. As I mentioned earlier Nuclear Security Summit is to restrain terrorists from acquiring nuclear materials so since the North Korea nuclear problem is an international issue between countries, it is hard to make North Korea nuclear problem as a direct reference as the summit agenda. However, It would be natural to arouse the interest of countries and media due to the fact that the summit is being held at the Korean penninsular. If the six-party talks are to be held prior to the summit before March, it will have overall positive effect. In addition, discussing nuclear issues in Seoul Nuclear Security Summit itself will send a message to North Korea to abandon nuclear program and come out to the international community. In this aspect, president Lee Myung-Bak's mentioning on last May that if North Korea abandons nuclear program it could be invited to participate in the summit, can be understood.