University Communications
Emory University
Atlanta, GA 30322

Release date: Nov. 11, 999
Contact: Elaine Justice, Assistant Director, 404-727-0643, or ejustic@emory.edu

Carter, Laney, Lee Assess Prospects for Peace on Korean Peninsula

The United States Senate's rejection of the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty "is one of the worst mistakes our government has ever made," said former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today at a panel discussion on "North Korea and Security on the Korean Peninsula." The discussion included Emory President Emeritus James Laney, former U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea; and Lee Hong-koo, Emory alumnus, ambassador to the United States from the Republic of Korea and former South Korean prime minister.

The three panelists were unanimous in their positive assessment of current U.S. policy toward North Korea and recent proposals by former Secretary of Defense William Perry, in which trade sanctions against North Korea have been lifted in exchange for their agreement to curb ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

"All these are modestly hopeful signs," said Laney. But the panelists warned that future relations with North Korea will involve political risk-taking (Laney), hard work (Lee) and an appreciation for the dangers created by such a battered but unbowed totalitarian regime (Carter).

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