Korea Joins Global Partnership against WMD

Korea will join the Global Partnership against the spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced on Wednesday.

The Global Partnership, which was launched at the G8 summit in Canada in June 2002, is aimed at destroying chemical and nuclear weapons, dismantling nuclear submarines, and employing former weapons scientists.

“We agree with the objects of the Proliferation of Security Initiative (PSI), but we should also consider the influence of it on the North Korea nuclear issue and the inter-Korean relations,” said the Minister Ban Ki-moon. Korea is not a signatory of the PSI.

The PSI seeks international cooperation to disrupt the illicit trade in nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and materials by interdicting vessels, aircrafts, or other modes of transportation. North Korea and Iran are the biggest targets of the PSI.

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com