7th Declaration on the Korean State of Affairs
by the Former Officials of the Korean Foreign Service
Halt the termination of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA)
On August 26, we, the former officials of the Korean Foreign Service, had strongly urged the Moon Jae-in Government to suspend the termination of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
But despite fierce opposition from our traditional allies, namely the U.S. and Japan, the Moon government is adamant on its termination when there remains just four days until the Agreement¡¯s legal expiry date of November 23.
To abandon the GSOMIA following the inter-Korean military agreement of September 19, 2018, would be an act of self-destruction, putting our national security and the lives and safety of our 50 million citizens at risk.
Moreover, to abandon the GSOMIA would be to directly undermine the security interests of our blood ally, the U.S. We believe this reckless behavior could even be described as a second Attack on Pearl Harbor.
To abandon the GSOMIA would also be an act of resistance against the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which U.S., Japan and others are newly pursuing to construct an ideal international order. Therefore, this move can only be perceived as a scheme to consociate the Republic of Korea into the anti-civilization forces of North Korea, China, Russia, and more.
The Moon Government puts the blame on Japan for the termination of the Agreement. However, it is undeniable truth that we were the first to sow the seeds of conflict, with our Supreme Court ruling against the International Law, and our unilateral abandoning of the Korea-Japan Comfort Women Agreement.
For the past two and a half years, the U.S. has sent continuous advice and warnings for an unwavering Korea-U.S. alliance. However, these were consistently ignored by the Moon Government, who instead continuously reached out to Kim Jong-un – who has shown no will of nuclear renunciation – to engage in talks of denuclearization, to no avail.
In fact, the Moon government had also shown a lukewarm response to the intrusions of the residence of the U.S ambassador and the Consulate-General of Japan in Busan. Moreover, it has been under suspicions along with North Korea, of smuggling in and out coal, refined oil, and etching gas.
The Moon Government¡¯s forced repatriation of North Korean defectors and its declination to co-sponsor the North Korea Human Rights Resolution has also exposed bare its anti-humanitarian barbaric face, which is a great shame to our foreign diplomacy.
Such actions have been linked to its clandestine support to Kim Jong-un¡¯s nuclear and missile development programs. We fear that the U.S. and Japan may take this as a reason to impose sanctions against us along with the majority of the international community, citing that this was in breach of the U.N. Security Council resolution.
Once the sanctions are in place, our sovereign credit rating will inevitably plummet to Non-investment. Once global credit rating agencies make this call, the credit ratings of our banks and corporations will also take the same fall. For the Korean economy, which heavily relies on the international market, it will find the subsequent catastrophic blows hard to bear.
The sudden collapse of our major export industries, the breakdown of our financial industries, the reduction of the domestic market, and mass generation of job losses, will all see our GDP halved. Personal income will follow suit, and it won¡¯t be long until we follow Venezuela¡¯s footsteps.
Should our fears turn out for the worst in this scenario, together with the North, we will face continued sanctions by the international society. Completely ostracized, we will descend to an impoverished state like the North.
Then, under China¡¯s strong military power and economic influence, we will be reduced to its subject state. The 75 million citizens of North and South Korea will be enslaved, just like the current residents of North Korea.
Within the next four days, we will be facing that critical point which may abruptly change the fate of our state. We cannot sit idle, and watch time pass by.
Therefore, together with our people, we strongly urge the Moon government once again, to halt the termination of GSOMIA – otherwise, we may see a watershed moment where our national security and economy start to break down.
November 18, 2019