Dear Korean Studies mailing list,<br>
<br>
I'm writing a story for the American Prospect exploring relations
between North Korea and independent groups based in the United States.<br>
<br>
Is there anyone out there who might be able to assess claims by
Reverend Moon's remarkable Unification Church that the group operates
as a back-channel for dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea? (See
excerpt below). <br>
<br>
Is anyone on the list familiar with this relationship, which goes back to about 1991?<br>
<br>
This is from the church publication "Truth Is My Sword":<br>
<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Books/Tims2/Tims2-a02.htm" target="_blank">http://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Books/Tims2/Tims2-a02.htm
</a><br>
<br>
"The result of the historical encounter between President Kim Il Sung<br>
and Rev. Moon was expressed in a 10-point communique, one of which was<br>
an agreement to have prime ministerial talks between North and South<br>
Korea. This opened the door to a new era of relations between the DPRK<br>
and South Korea. This occurred a few days after Rev. Moon's departure<br>
from Pyongyang. Another area negotiated included North Korea's desire<br>
for light-water nuclear reactors to replace their old ones that<br>
created the so-called controversy of the DPRK nuclear weapons program.<br>
<br>
"In the following months and years, the Summit Council, under the<br>
direction of Dr. Pak, has effectively used back-door diplomacy to<br>
promote dialogue between the United States and the DPRK in order to<br>
resolve this potential nuclear buildup in northeast Asia. The Summit<br>
Council was responsible to nourish the process of diplomatic<br>
rapprochement between Washington and Pyongyang. This led to the final<br>
signing of the "Framework Agreement" on October 21, 1994, between the<br>
United States and the DPRK that froze the weapons-grade<br>
plutonium-producing reactors in exchange for light-water reactors."<br>
<br>
John<br>
<br>
<br>
-- <br>
John Gorenfeld<br>
<a href="http://www.gorenfeld.net">www.gorenfeld.net</a><br>
(415) 307-3898<br>
Fax: (815) 366-8165<br>
268 Bush St., #3416<br>
San Francisco, CA 94104<br>
<br><br>-- <br>John Gorenfeld<br><a href="http://www.gorenfeld.net">www.gorenfeld.net</a><br>(415) 307-3898<br>Fax: (815) 366-8165<br>268 Bush St., #3416<br>San Francisco, CA 94104<br>