The Korean Peninsula – A Diplomatic Outlook, 13 June 2019
Posted by: Cathy Kim | Posted on: May 24th, 2019
The Korean Peninsula – A Diplomatic Outlook
*** Booking is now closed for this event ***
Thursday 13th June 2019, 5.30 pm to 6.30pm
Chatham House, 10 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LE
Members of the BKS are warmly invited to the annual briefing given by the British Ambassadors to Seoul and Pyongyang, this year being held at Chatham House in partnership with the Royal Institute for International Affairs.
In April 2018, following historic bi-lateral talks, Moon Jae-in, president of South Korea, and Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, pledged to work together towards ending the Korean War, beginning a new era of peace and national reconciliation that would include the denuclearization of the peninsula.
However, in the year since, little progress has been made on decommissioning North Korea’s nuclear programme and in May 2019, North Korea restarted a programme of short-range missile testing, leading to widespread international condemnation.
Against this backdrop, the United Kingdom’s Ambassadors to both North and South Korea, both of whom took up their postings over this turbulent last twelve months, will offer a frank assessment of recent domestic political developments, regional and international events affecting the peninsula, and the bilateral relationships with the UK.
Simon Smith became Ambassador in Seoul in March 2018, having served as Ambassador previously to Ukraine and Austria (where he was also Permanent Representative to the UN organisations in Vienna). He has also worked in British Embassies in Tokyo and Moscow.
Colin Crooks has been Ambassador in Pyongyang since December 2018. His first posting as a diplomat was in Seoul, and he has subsequently served in Washington, Jakarta (with the EU Delegation) and Beijing.
The event will be followed by a networking reception
This event is for BKS and Chatham House members only. For BKS Individual members this includes partners, for Corporate members up to 5 attendees.
There is no charge for this event. To reserve your place please email your name and telephone number to events@britishkoreansociety.org.uk or sign up using our online booking form.
