'Peace of Korean Peninsula will lead prosperity of Asia'

The Korea Times and Hankook Ilbo Chairman Seung Myung-ho delivers a welcome speech at 2018 KOR-ASIA Forum 2018 at Seoul Dragon City Hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Nov. 7. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Jung Da-min

Chairman Seung Myung-ho of The Korea Times and Hankook Ilbo said at the KOR-ASIA Forum 2018 on Wednesday that the Korean Peninsula would become “the hub of Asia” when peace is achieved, after the current historical inflection point where there are conflicts on its path to denuclearization and peace.

Jointly hosted by The Korea Times and Hankook Ilbo at Seoul Dragon City Hotel in Yongsan, Seoul, the forum introduced Seung as he delivered a welcome speech to hundreds of audience members including lawmakers, diplomatic envoys in Seoul, press and others interested in the economic prospects of the geopolitical hotbed.

This year's forum took place under the title, “Peace on the Korean Peninsula, Asia's Opportunity for Progress.”

“It is true there are still far ways to go to achieve the peace of the Korean Peninsula, as it is not easy to solve conflicts of the past century all at once,” Seung said. “If we pass this time of crisis, however, the Korean Peninsula will be taking the role of the hub of Asia.”

Seung said efforts to achieve the peace on the peninsula have borne fruit, with the historic summits between the two Koreas and the first summit between the U.S. and North Korea in 70 years being held.

“Although it would take some time, I am sure we will arrive at our destination in the end, as not just the two Koreas and the U.S. but other countries around the world are working toward denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

Seung said Asian countries, in particular, should prepare for an era of prosperity and coexistence, as they will be leading new economic projects through new trade routes and economic zones by land and sea, which would connect Asian countries centering around the peninsula.

“The peace of the peninsula would enable Asian countries to open a new trade route that leads to Europe beyond Northern and Central Asia in the northern part, while opening a maritime economic belt that passes through ASEAN countries to the Sea of India in the southern part,” he said.

The forum came a week before President Moon Jae-in's six-day trip to Singapore and Papua New Guinea from Nov. 13 to 18, to attend summits with ASEAN countries as well as China and Japan. Korea has been boosting ties with ASEAN countries, with President Moon leading the New Southern Policy since last year.

“Achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula would be a turning point for Asia to become the center of economy and diplomacy of the world, through the synergetic growth of Asian countries,” Seung said.